VICE
by DD42
Summary: Temptation can be a dangerous thing. If left unchecked, it can even drive one insane and destroy them. In a dark, unseen underworld, Narcotics Agent Natsu Dragneel must go undercover to stop the spread of a dangerous new drug that is sweeping Magnolia...all the while dealing with his own personal demons and two women who are dragging him towards the edge of pleasure and insanity.
1. Chapter 1

_**VICE**_

A/N: Hello everyone and welcome back to another foray into the Fairy Tail universe. For those of you who are familiar with my stories, I welcome you back. For those of you who are not familiar with me, I welcome you and hope you enjoy the first of many chapters to come.

This time I will be trying my hand at writing a crime AU where Natsu must go undercover to stop the spread of a dangerous new drug. But, will he be able to complete the mission with his sanity intact or will he lose himself along the way? This may very well be one of the darkest stories I've written yet as it will involve mature, dark themes. A major change from the usual stories I'm working on.

I apologize if the dialogue in this story seems a bit weird or forced. I have this problem whenever I start a new story but this problem tends to iron itself out as things progress.

The main pairing for this story is a love triangle between Natsu, Lucy, and Lisanna. That's right; a love triangle. The relationship Natsu develops between Lucy and Lisanna will be one of the core plot points to this story and I'm excited in trying such an idea out.

As stated, this story is going to be "M" rated for mature themes. These themes include drug/alcohol abuse, sexual content, violence, and harsh language. _**Reader discretion is advised.**_

As always, I hope you will give your honest opinion with your review and if you have any questions regarding this story feel free to ask it in your review which I will either reply to in the next chapter or respond to ASAP, or you can PM me; whatever works for you! Just please don't be too harsh with your criticisms…there's only so much a guy can take.

 _ **DISCLAIMER: I do not own Fairy Tail; Hiro Mashima and Kodansha Comics USA own it. If I did own Fairy Tail…well let's just say some things would be different.**_

So without further ado *cracks neck and knuckles*, let's begin!

XXXX

DESCRIPTION: Temptation can be a dangerous thing; it can bring out the worst in a man. If left unchecked, it can even drive one to insanity and destroy them. In a dark, unseen underworld, Narcotics Agent Natsu Dragneel must go deep undercover to stop the spread of a dangerous new drug that is sweeping Magnolia...all the while dealing with his own personal demons and two women who are dragging him closer and closer to the edge of both pleasure and insanity.

XXXX

 _Vice_

 _/vīs/_

 _Noun: Immoral or wicked behavior; Immoral or wicked personal characteristic; Criminal activity that involves drugs, prostitution, pornography, etc._

XXXX

CHAPTER 1

XXXX

 _ **City of Magnolia, Fiore**_

 _ **Population: 2 Million (the second largest city in Fiore).**_

 _ **East Magnolia outskirts/slums a.k.a. "The Alleys"**_

The BearCat armored vehicle was silent, save for the occasional rattle of equipment and the hiss of the gun turret as it rotated; the gunner manning the mighty M2 heavy machine gun as he watched the passing apartments and dilapidated buildings. As messy and depressing as urban decay was, it offered plenty of hiding places for those not so fond of law enforcement.

If the raid convoy was spotted, the gunners and the men and women they protected needed to be ready for a gunfight. But then again, one always had to be on their toes in this area of the city.

The interior of the vehicle was filled with ten agents (same as the other BearCats in the convoy) all armed to the teeth and covered head to toe in body armor and chemical warfare suits. Velcro name pads on their ballistic vests denoted each agent's individual code name: _Salamander, Hunter, Pitbull, Phantom, Shark,_ and so on and so forth. Although they were all dressed in black, making them appear as any other S.W.A.T. team within the police, it was the patch they wore on either their helmets or shoulders that gave them away.

The letters SD4N set over a stylized Oleander, the beautiful but toxic flower that denoted them as one of Fiore's elite Federal Law Enforcement special units; Special Detachment Four-Narcotics.

Detachment Four was the Federal Security Department's premier narcotics and drug enforcement unit for Magnolia. Battling it out with some of the most dangerous criminals and narcotics in Fiore, the unit handled both the overt and covert aspects of the profession, using undercover agents and raids to dismantle crime from the inside and out.

But, more often than not, the unit was compared to a paramilitary force given the fact that the unit trained its agents in counterinsurgency, urban warfare, and small unit tactics. They had established a reputation for eliminating threats with extreme prejudice.

Regardless of what people thought of the unit, the agents were feared and feared they should be.

On this particular day, the unit was carrying out a raid on a drug lab that had been under investigation for the better part of five months. Now it was time to act on all the evidence and intelligence that had been gathered by deep cover agents within that time.

So far, the agents had the element of surprise. And they preferred it stay that way.

"We're approaching the warehouse, go dark. NVG's from this point on until told otherwise." The voice of Nomad, the Unit's Special Agent in Charge (S.A.C.), said over the team radio. The headlights of the vehicles switched off in rapid succession.

"All teams stand to. Remember the plan people. The undercovers reported that the warehouse has internal and external CCTV cameras so that means someone is watching. HQ is working on hacking the cameras but once they go down, someone is going to notice. We'll only have a matter of minutes to secure the building.

With that being said, teams one through four will set up a perimeter and cordon off the main streets and prevent anyone from getting to or escaping from the building. Teams five, six, and seven and their BearCat's will form a perimeter around key access points to the building and provide support. Teams eight, nine, ten, and their BearCats will have the honor of greeting our hosts. Team Eight, Salamander, your team is on point."

"Yes sir." The team leader responded via his tactical radio, his voice muffled by his gas mask.

Salamander stood, adjusting the chinstrap of his Ops Core helmet before making sure all the upgrades he'd added to it were attached; an HD video camera, IR strobe pack and battery pack, armor applique, and night vision goggles. Beneath the helmet his face was hidden by a C50 gas mask fitted to an air purification pack on his back.

His eyes quickly adjusted to his night vision, the world having become a luminescent green glow.

"Alright everyone, we've been practicing this day in and day out for the last week so there should be no reason for fuck ups. But just so we're clear, we'll hit the south side while nine and ten hit the east and west sides. Nomad will read the suspects the riot act over the megaphone and give them a chance to stand down. If not, we cut the power, and storm the warehouse. When all is said and done, we all should meet at the north end and have wrangled up any stragglers. From there, we'll handle initial processing of the scene before giving it to CSU and the MPD. Any questions?"

Salamander looked at the remaining members of his team, men and women he had served with for the last three years. They were practically family. To his left: Shark, Bear, Wolf, Huntress, and Echo. To his right: Saber, Delta, Pitbull, and Ghost.

Ghost raised her finger, "Is our R.O.E. still the same or has it changed to shoot first, ask questions never?"

The team sniggered at the running joke of the unit. They did more shooting than they did arresting. It wasn't to say they were trigger happy, far from it actually. It just so happened that the people they went after thought for whatever reason that it was a good idea to point a gun at law enforcement. It never ended well for the bad guys.

"Rules of engagement haven't changed. We must be engaged to engage. For those of you with thicker skulls, that means that unless someone points a gun at you, you do not shoot first. If anyone raises their hands and says, 'Don't shoot,' you bind their hands and legs with the flex cuffs and keep moving."

"Are our deep covers still on site?" Pitbull asked.

"Nah, they bugged out of there a couple of hours ago. We're in the clear." Shark answered.

"Clear or not, if one of you shoot me in the ass again I swear to God I'll rip you a new one." Salamander said earning a hearty laugh from his team.

"Seriously, is my ass such an appealing target that you guys just had to shoot it?"

"You do have a nice ass boss." Huntress hummed.

"She ain't lyin'!" Their gunner said to which Salamander smacked his knee.

"Shut it Rollins, if we wanted your opinion we would've asked for it." Salamander quipped.

"Why the hell do we have to wear these suits?" Delta asked, "I'm starting to roast in this thing."

"From what Nomad told me, the undercovers said that some nasty stuff's being made in that warehouse and that we don't want to breathe it in. It's like dealing with a meth lab…"

"The suits reduce the risk of contamination. Meaning we don't have to strip down and get scrubbed head to toe." Bear finished for Salamander, earning a nod from the team leader.

"Exactly. Remember how long it took us to get decontaminated when we accidently stumbled across that one meth lab? So make sure you keep your suits sealed. I don't want to hear that you ripped a hole in your suit or got your air packs shot up. On the bright side, we're not dealing with meth so you don't have to worry about blowing the place to kingdom come. Understood?"

"Yes sir." His team replied in unison.

"Any other questions…no? Good." Salamander said with a nod. He then racked the charging handle on his suppressed, APC300 carbine. The carbine was whisper quiet when fired but packed one hell of a punch, making it handy for close quarters fighting.

"Alright everyone, we're here." The driver said, "I can see lights on in the warehouse and no one is shooting at us. I think it's safe to say we still have the element of surprise."

"Let's keep it that way." Salamander said, peering out one of the windows and seeing the other BearCats slowly falling into position.

"Headquarters has hacked the security cameras. I repeat, cameras have been hacked. Assault Teams, move into position." Nomad's voice sounded over the radio.

The back door dropped and the agents silently disembarked, stepping out into the night. Even at twelve midnight, the lights of the city shined off in the distance while the abandoned factories and apartments remained dark, eerily so. Salamander shook off the feeling and stepped in behind Bear, who ducked behind his ballistic shielded while keeping his sidearm drawn. He then gestured forward and as one, the agents advanced forward.

The training and preparation for the raid filled his mind. The warehouse was set in an open lot and was of a double storey design, with most of the space inside wide and open for storage purposes. Various "CONDEMNED" placards decorated the sides but they were mostly for show and the tall windows that weren't boarded up were covered in dirt and grime. From what the undercovers had provided, there was a sizeable crew inside manufacturing drugs and were practically living on site; working nonstop at a makeshift assembly line. Aside from a small office space in the back, there were still storage crates scattered about providing places to hide.

That little fact put Salamander on edge and made him grip his weapon tighter.

They soon came to stop at two heavy doors. Salamander pointed to the center and hinges of the doors and Echo and Saber just as quickly rigged the points with breaching explosives and a frame charge.

"Team Eight, in position." Salamander said into his radio as he and the others huddled against the wall and behind Bear.

"Team Nine, in position." Banshee called in.

"Team Ten, in position. We've found the power box." Phantom radioed.

"All teams are in position and the BearCats have you covered." Nomad said, "Headquarters is relaying a live video feed from inside to me now. Stand by…suspects are armed. I repeat; suspects are armed."

"Rules of engagement?" Banshee asked.

"They haven't changed. Engage if engaged people. You guys ready…Yes? Alright, let's do this. Team Ten, cut the lights."

Leaning against the wall, Salamander could hear movement, voices, and music through the thin metal walls. Despite the grime on the windows, light could barely be seen. And then the lights suddenly died and the music was silenced. Muffled, confused voices could be heard.

Then the night came alight in flashes of blue, red, and the blinding white of headlights.

"This is the police." Nomad's voice echoed loud and clear over a loudspeaker.

"We have a search warrant for the building and know you are in there. You are surrounded; drop your weapons and give yourselves up."

For three long minutes, all was quiet. Then boards were ripped away and glass shattered as gunfire filled the air.

Salamander and his teammates ducked as the window above them shattered from a barrage of handgun bullets.

"All teams green light, green light! Go, go, go!" Nomad commanded.

"Flashbangs; breach!" Salamander commanded as his teammates lobbed flashbang grenades into the building via the broken window while Echo detonated the explosives. They never heard the simultaneous cacophony of the stun grenades or saw the blinding flashes they produced. For with a flurry of sparks and clap of thunder, the doors were blown inwards and off their hinges.

Bear stormed the doorway with Salamander right behind him. The others fanned out to the sides. The grenades and explosives had kicked up a flurry of dust and for a second, the world was nothing but a green haze through night vision. But as it settled, weapon mounted flashlights and blue laser sights illuminated the din along with the suspects who stumbled or lay on the floor in a daze.

One man stood, still clutching a revolver. Salamander immediately took aim, illuminating the man with his weapon light while the reticle of his holographic sight centered on the man's chest.

"Police!" Salamander barked, "Drop your weapon!"

The man blinked rapidly before his face contorted in rage and raised his gun to fire. Salamander was quicker on the trigger and put a burst of .300 Blackout into the man, dropping him instantly. Weapons fire filled the air while similar commands were issued by other agents. The suspects were not going down without a fight.

"Move in, sweep up the left!" Salamander commanded as Bear moved forward, taking him and Salamander down a row of crates and tables.

Another man popped up from behind a crate and fired at the two agents. Salamander dropped to a knee just as the bullets whizzed overhead or struck Bear's shield. Bear promptly dropped the shooter with a triple tap from his pistol; two to the chest, one in the head.

To his left and right, Salamander spotted his teammates continue to move; neutralizing shooters or cuffing the ones who were smart enough to toss their guns. The other teams were making similar progress and in a matter of moments, the assembled assault teams were moving as one, firing their weapons when necessary and cuffing those who surrendered. Just as quickly as it had started, the gunfire ceased.

Salamander swapped magazines for a third time and pointed to the back office.

"Watch it people, we don't know what's in there." Salamander said over the radio.

"I thought I saw a guy run in there but I'm not sure." Someone from team ten replied.

"Nomad, can HQ see anything on the CCTV?" Salamander spoke into his radio.

"Negative Salamander; use extreme caution."

"I've got a bad feeling about this." Shark said aloud.

"You've always got a bad feeling about something." Pitbull quipped.

It was at that moment that the office door was kicked open and a man covered in tattoo's stepped out. In his hands, he held a PKM light machine gun. The man grinned a demented grin and didn't waste time in cutting loose with his weapon.

"Hit the deck!" Salamander said, dropping down to his stomach while Bear did the same, angling his shield to cover his head and back.

"Holy shit!"

"Son of a bitch!"

"Goddammit!"

"Fuck!"

These were the startled cries of the agents as they all scrambled for cover or dropped to the floor. Bullets ricocheted too close for comfort or blasted anything on the assembly line and tables to pieces.

"Nomad!?" Salamander yelled into his radio.

"Hang on! Thompson, rake the building at chest level on the north side, five second burst! All of you, on the floor; now!"

No sooner had the agents followed the command did the BearCats heavy machine guns open fire. The powerful .50 caliber rounds easily punched through the thin walls of the building and eviscerated all they hit.

It was a long five seconds before the shooting stopped. Before he had dropped, Salamander had clearly seen the trigger happy maniac standing at the door to the office. Peeking up over Bear, all that he saw now was a lingering red mist and what used to be a man. The machine gun lay discarded nearby, barrel smoking but silent.

Slowly the agents rose and sounded off one at a time. No one was hurt. Cautiously they approached the office and upon further inspection, found that it was empty. Moonlight shined in through the shattered windows, skylights, and bullet holes in the walls.

"Nomad," Phantom radioed, "building is secured."

Nomad sighed in audible relief, "Good work everyone. Now comes the easy part. I'm sure HQ has already notified the MPD and CSU, so they'll be here soon enough. In the meantime, round up any survivors and start processing the scene; make things easier for CSU. We made plenty of noise so I'm sure we'll get a few onlookers and nosy reporters."

"Great." Salamander said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"I wonder how they'll spin this one; 'Surprise assault launched against drug factory' or 'Fiore's ruthless boys in black strike again?'" Someone from team nine said aloud.

"Let the boss and the people in public relations worry about that. For now, focus on this. Let's get this scene prepped and ready for CSU and call it a night. We'll have plenty of work to do tomorrow so let's make it easier on ourselves and do this right."

"C'mon Salamander, have we ever let you down?" The leader of team ten asked.

"Uhm, you really want an answer to that?" Salamander quipped, earning hearty laughs from his fellow agents.

XXXX

Out of all of the suspects in the building, only six had survived the shootout. Those six men and women were escorted to the BearCats and kept under watch by team nine. Therefore, the duty of processing the scene and making things easier for CSU fell to teams eight and ten. They had traded their weapons in for cameras, notepads, and other equipment.

The power had been restored to the warehouse, exposing the mess that had been created.

"We certainly did a number on this place." Pitbull gave a low whistle, jotting notes down on his clipboard.

He stood near a blue tarp that had been laid out to hold all of the firearms that had been collected after being marked in chalk outlines…along with their former users. The bodies of the deceased lay under similar tarps outside.

"This is what happens when you resist arrest." Salamander said wryly as he took a picture of said firearms. They were mostly semiautomatic pistols and cheap revolvers but there were a few that caught attention; the PKM, three AK-47's, a handful of MAC-11's, and even an old Winchester rifle.

"Although, this is quite the collection of firepower. Guess these guys were gearing up for a fight long before we noticed them." Salamander added, taking another snapshot.

"Tell me about it. I heard the Port Authority out in Hargeon found a shipment of AK's hidden in the gas tank of a car." Pitbull said.

"Damn," Salamander shook his head, "is it just me or are these guys getting better equipped with each passing day?"

"More to the point, who's paying for it and where are they getting from? Think about it, all of this has to cost a fortune to manage. What are they doing that they need the firepower for?"

Salamander studied the AK's and PKM, picking up the weapons for examination.

"Well…from the looks of things, the AK's have markings from Bosco but the PKM has seen some use. The feed cover's been replaced, this isn't the standard barrel, and the stock's been refurbished."

"Best guess?" Pitbull asked.

"Meh, probably bought from a rebel group up north or to the south." Salamander replied.

"Maybe it all has to do with whatever this stuff is." Saber said as he placed markers down on the assembly line. He gestured to Salamander.

"If this is cocaine, it must be some sort of new batch because I've never seen shit like this before." Saber added.

On the assembly line and nearby tables, Salamander found a variety of electric scales, beakers and burners, the occasional centrifuge, and plastic packaging. And set amongst it all was powdery substance, colored lightly purple.

Salamander took a series of pictures before running his fingers over the powder, rubbing his fingers and was surprised at how fine it was.

"This stuff could pass as baking flour it's so soft." Salamander mused, "It's not meth, since this place would have blown sky high if it was. And it's not cocaine…any ideas."

"No clue." Saber shook his head, "It's weird because some of the vials in that centrifuge over there are colored the same as this. Do you think this stuff can be melted down into a liquid?"

"Maybe. But, then again, you know as much as I do." Salamander said.

"Which at this time isn't much either way." Nomad's voice caught their attention.

The two agents turned around to see their S.A.C. enter the warehouse, protected by his own chem-war suit and gas mask and carrying his personal APC556 PDW.

"Sir." The two agents greeted as the man slowly took in their findings and the damage. He particularly focused on a series of canvas cots set towards the back office. There were blankets scattered about, plastic crates that held clothes, and other signs that the warehouse was being lived in.

The two agents watched as their boss took his time studying the clothes and makeshift home for the drug makers.

"You alright sir?" Saber asked.

The man slowly shook his head, a disappointed gesture that was more to himself, and turned back to his agents.

"I'm fine." He replied, curtly, "Something on your mind?"

"What is this crap sir, I've never seen anything like it."

Nomad cocked his head slightly, examining the powder but made no move to touch it.

"We have an idea but at this time it's on a need to know basis." Nomad said, prompting Salamander to cross his arms.

"Is there something you're not telling us sir?" He asked.

"You'll be briefed as more details come to light. For now, finish up what you're doing and pack it up; MPD and CSU just arrived. Hand your findings over, follow the chain of evidence, and get back to the BearCat's. Our work is done for the night."

Salamander wanted to press his superior for more information but the man just as quickly turned on his heel and walked away. Sighing in frustration, Salamander radioed in the orders to his team and made a mental note to have a chat with his boss later.

Taking one last look around the warehouse, Salamander paused when he spotted one of the CCTV cameras near a light fixture. The feeling that he was being watched made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.

"Salamander," Nomad said, poking his head back inside, "you coming or what?"

"You think whoever was running this saw anything?" Salamander nodded to the camera.

Nomad stepped back in and crossed his arms, "HQ said they were getting some feedback around the time the fifty-cal cut loose. Something about an attempt at back hacking. They relinquished control to prevent a network breach…so yeah, maybe. If they were watching us, all they'd see is the cleanup. C'mon, let CSU and the MPD worry about that, we've got to go before the news and tabloids show up."

"Yeah, coming." Salamander sighed again, digging out his wristwatch from and empty pouch. It was three in the morning and his day started at seven.

It was going to be a long day.

XXXX

 _ **Later that afternoon…**_

 _ **Federal Police Headquarters, downtown Magnolia…**_

The Federal Police Headquarters was located in Arcadia Square in the "Justice" district of the city. The district was home to many of the courts and police agencies that protected the city and the Federal Police were one of them. The building the Federal Police used was of a tall, trapezoid design and was made of concrete and glass that gleamed both day and night. The flags of the city, the federal police, and the Fiorean flag flew proudly outside of the buildings main entrance.

Each floor was dedicated to either one or two agencies of the federal police with Special Detachment Four's office taking up most of the top floor. The office offered a good view of the city and helped one put their mind at ease, a fact enjoyed by Special Agent in Charge Gildarts Clive, or Nomad, as his call sign went.

The man's rustic orange hair was long and tied back in a loose ponytail. The stubble on his face indicated the days he'd gone since his last shave and if asked, he preferred to keep it that way. As opposed to the usual Aloha shirt and jeans he usually wore, today Gildarts wore his formal uniform; dress blues complete with all the medals and ribbons he had earned during his very long career in law enforcement. He hated wearing the thing but today it was required of him to look somewhat presentable.

His third cup of coffee was held in hand but he hardly felt the effects of the caffeine anymore. He'd gone so many days and nights with an irregular sleep pattern that he was immune to coffee at this point. But after the evidence that had been gathered last night, he supposed many more sleepless days were to follow. Especially as the scale of what they were dealing with was coming to light. The final details had been sorted hours before with the director, deputy director, and the other higher ups. All that was needed now was the briefing.

"He has an impressive record," a voice said from the nearby flat screen, "he was only a beat cop for three years before making it into his department's detective's bureau. Recommended for promotion twice and is even the recipient of the heroism medal. Had a bit of a rough childhood; orphaned at a young age, adopted, only for his adoptive father to die in the line of duty. Noted for being tenacious but a bit of risk taker."

"How long has he been with narcotics?" Another voice asked.

"Three years." Gildarts replied, taking a long drink of his coffee.

"Three seems to follow this man." A third voice added, "Why'd you pick him? After what happened with his partner I would have figured he'd be more of a liability than an asset."

Gildarts smiled wryly, "I could say the same for everyone else in narcotics. In case you haven't noticed, like everyone else, he has the uncanny ability to keep a secret. Sure, it nearly bit him in the ass but it just shows you how many skeletons he can hide."

"So it would seem but those same secrets we are referring to nearly cost him his badge. Honestly speaking, do you think he's up for the task? He's never been given an assignment of this magnitude before." Asked the first.

"True as that may be, his tenacity has solved many a case and has gotten both him and others out of many a firefight."

"I don't know if the boy can handle it." The second added.

"Agent Dragneel is one of my best. He hasn't let me down before and I see no reason for him to do so now." Gildarts defended.

"Give him a chance."

Turning from the window of the conference room and looking out into the main office, Gildarts focused on one of his best agents. Natsu Dragneel, or Salamander as he was known, sat at his desk and was focused on his computer screen, more than likely trying to figure out what the "mystery drug" from last night was. Considering the man had only gotten four hours of sleep on a cot in the buildings garage, his seemingly endless source of energy always surprised Gildarts.

Natsu was tall, well-muscled, and broad shouldered. His salmon pink hair was cut short and his eyes were a dark but fierce green. He wore a black polo shirt and jeans while his badge and gun were set on his desk.

Gildarts tapped the intercom on the table, calling his secretary, "Send him in; conference room two."

His secretary didn't reply but a few seconds later, Natsu answered the phone on his desk before making his way over to the conference room. He swiped his keycard through the scanner and entered. His eyes immediately found Gildarts.

"You're dressed to the nines, that's rare." Natsu grinned, "How much trouble am I in this time?"

"It's nothing like that." Gildarts smirked, closing the blinds to the room, "As you're about to see."

Slightly puzzled, Natsu was about to ask what was happening when he noticed the flat screen was on for a video conference. After a moment of recognition, he quickly snapped to a crisp salute.

Appearing on separate screens were three of the last people Natsu had ever thought he'd see let alone speak to. On one screen was the King of Fiore, Toma E. Fiore. On the second was Minister of Defense Darton. And on the third was the king's daughter, Princess Hisui E. Fiore…who also happened to be the Director for National Intelligence.

"At ease Agent," The King gave friendly smile, "please, take a seat."

Natsu blinked dumbly for a minute before sitting opposite of Gildarts. The man reached beneath the table and produced three manila folders.

"Tell me, Agent Dragneel, do you know why you are here today?" The King asked.

"Uhm…if this about the incident in the garage last week, I swear I had nothing to do with that." Natsu held his hands up defensively.

"I beg your pardon?" Darton asked while Hisui stifled a giggle. Gildarts palmed his face.

"Ignore him, nothing to worry about." Gildarts shook his head.

"No, Natsu, it's not about the garage. It's about something more…concerning."

Natsu cocked his head slightly, eying the folders, "How concerning?"

"Agent Dragneel," Hisui said, "are you familiar with a drug called 'Vice' by any chance?"

"Can't say that I am. I've handled some pretty nasty crap since I joined narcotics but I've never heard of it before. What is it? Some sort of slang for…what, valium and meth?"

"No." Gildarts slid a folder to Natsu, "It's nothing of the sort. You see Natsu, for the past year and a half, both foreign and domestic narcotics police have been reporting a rapid rise in the usage and distribution of a new super drug. That drug, from what we've learned, is called Vice."

"What is it?" Natsu frowned as he opened the folder, "And how come we've never heard of it before?"

The folder contained chemical analysis and toxicology reports, none of which made the least bit of sense to Natsu. But he'd seen the chemical composition of meth, cocaine, and heroin enough to know that what he was looking at was off the charts. And then he saw it; photos of a familiar looking powder with a purple coloration.

"Wait. That's the shi-I mean, crap from last night." Natsu said, catching himself as he remembered whose presence he was in.

"It is. We're not exactly sure what it is to be frank. What we do know scares us but it's what we don't know that scares us a hell of a lot more." Gildarts said, sliding over a new folder.

"Since we first started finding it, Vice has rapidly outsold many of the other more common drugs that you'd find on the street. It's relatively cheap to make but has a refinement to it that makes it all the more desirable. From what we've been able to gather, Vice has the ability to induce an extreme state of euphoria upon whoever uses it. A sensory overload that won't kill you…unless, of course, you over do it."

"Overdose?" Natsu asked to which Gildarts nodded to the file.

Natsu opened it and found a series of pictures from the medical examiner's office. Men and women, all lying on the slab; their skin pale, eyes sunken, and…wait, why were the veins around their eyes blackened. In fact, upon further inspection, it looked as if the eyes of the deceased had bled profusely.

"What in the hell?" Natsu murmured reading the notes from the examiner, all marked with different dates.

" _Male, twenty two, college student, found deceased in his dorm due to an apparent overdose. Autopsy and toxicology revealed an injection mark on the right arm and an unknown chemical compound in his bloodstream. Severe hemorrhaging of the brain upon further inspection; possible cause for blackening of veins around and bleeding of the eyes."_

" _Female, forty three, married, mother of two. Found dead in bathtub due to an apparent overdose. Autopsy and toxicology revealed injection mark on the thigh and an unknown chemical compound in her bloodstream. Severe hemorrhaging within the brain. Chemical composition matches that of chemical found in previous victims."_

" _Two males and two females. All between the ages of fifteen and seventeen. All four were involved in a fatal auto accident that resulted in a ten car pileup. All four were pronounced dead on arrival. Cause of death has been determined to be trauma inflicted by the accident. Toxicology revealed that an unknown chemical compound had been ingested by the deceased at some point prior to the accident and thus entered the bloodstream. Chemical compound matches the same unknown compound found in previous cases. It is believed that the driver and passengers were all under the influence at the time of the accident."_

" _Male, thirty one, CEO, engaged, one child from previous relationship. Deceased was shot to death by police after assaulting a patron of a local restaurant. Deceased reportedly tried to smash the patrons head in with a fire extinguisher before police arrived (patron managed to escape with minor injuries). The deceased was showing extreme, almost animalistic aggression and proceeded to assault the responding officers. The deceased attempted to-literally-rip the one officer's arm out of its socket; Taser and pepper spray proved ineffective; lethal force was finally used but did not initially stop the deceased. Twenty .40 caliber hollow point bullets removed from deceased. Autopsy revealed cause of death to be a combination of hydrostatic shock, blood loss, and severe hemorrhaging within the brain. Toxicology has found that the same unknown chemical compound was found in the deceased's bloodstream; concentrations found on the tongue. Possible ingestion via aerosol spray (?). (Note: I want to go on record and state that at this point, it's safe to say we have the beginnings of an epidemic on our hands)"_

Report after report, Natsu could see a pattern growing with each case becoming more severe and bizarre than the rest.

"What the hell is going on?" Natsu asked, looking from the file to Gildarts and the flat screen.

"Do you now see what we're dealing with, Agent Dragneel?" Darton asked.

"Why am I just hearing about this now? Hell does the freakin' public even know about this crap?" Natsu seethed.

"Agent Dragneel, you must understand, since we were made aware of this problem a year ago, Vice has been spreading like a wildfire. But whoever is managing it has done a damn good job of keeping us in the black and making sure their networks stay silent.

We've barely begun to scratch the surface and have already been forced to keep a lid on it all to prevent a panic from the public; to prevent whoever is manufacturing and distributing the drug from going into hiding or taking it elsewhere." Darton said.

"Agent Dragneel, all federal agencies have been made aware of the situation but only at the highest levels. Only select undercover agents and officers have been chosen to investigate this and even they haven't come up with much. We've had to cross-reference similar cases from other countries just to get where we are." Hisui added.

"However, all the evidence that's been gathered points that the point of origin for Vice has come from within our own borders; Magnolia in particular seems to be the epicenter of this menace. As stated, this drug has made its way to neighboring countries, countries with whom we share close ties. I can't even begin to tell you the levels of agitation and distrust my counterparts are feeling towards Fiore at the moment. A drug from out lands is killing the people of our neighbors, something that's furthermore exacerbated by the fact that we can't seem to get a handle on the damn thing!" The King fumed before regaining his composure.

The King took a deep breathe before releasing a heavy sigh, "This drug has managed to strain international relations with our country. This should show how potent it is. If something isn't done to stem the tide of Vice, I fear that we will face severe social, societal, and international ramifications. Which is why Secretary Darton, Director Fiore, and I have authorized the usage of extreme measures to combat this situation. Which in turn led us to contacting Special Agent Clive."

"Okay, I can understand that things are looking grim…but, why tell me all of this. Do I need to brief my team for a raid?" Natsu asked, not quite following where this was going.

"No Natsu," Gildarts shook his head, "you're team cannot be involved in this. Nor can the rest of the detachment. When this meeting ends, I'll inform everyone as to what's been going on."

"Then why am I here?" Natsu asked, eyes darting between Gildarts and the others.

"Natsu…" Gildarts sighed, "A deep cover operation has been authorized with the goal of finding whoever is responsible for the creation and distribution of Vice. The whole network needs to be shut down and those responsible need to face justice. A deep cover operation…for which you will be the primary undercover agent."

Natsu's jaw went slack, "What?"

"The Deputy Director and Director of Narcotics have approved of this as have other federal agencies. Secretary Darton has authorized a blank check for this operation. Director Fiore and I will be your handlers for this." Gildarts continued.

"Whoa, whoa, back the fuck up!" Natsu said, dropping all formality, "What do you mean I'm the primary agent for this!? I didn't volunteer for this; hell, I don't even have undercover status!"

"Natsu!" Gildarts barked, "Calm. Down."

Natsu fumed, holding his glare with his superior before finally relenting. He slumped back into his chair and ran his hand down his face. Gildarts sighed before offering Natsu a proud smile.

"I know, as of right now, we're asking a lot of you. And we will continue to do so from this point forward. But Natsu, you are one of the finest agents I have ever had the pleasure of serving with. Time and time again you've showed me how capable an agent you are. How tenacious, how committed you are to seeing things through till the end. Everyone who's worked in narcotics has to know that sooner or later their going to have to lead a double life and now that task falls to you."

"I understand that…it's just…this isn't what I imagined how I'd become an undercover; that my first case as one would be like this." Natsu said.

"An immense responsibility has been given to you," the King said, "and it's compounded more by the fact that Secretary Darton and I are giving you permission to act upon Directive Zero."

"Directive Zero?" Natsu asked.

"Directive Zero is a secret law that was passed by parliament and the king that allows laws and constitutional amendments to be completely ignored." Hisui spoke up.

"In times of emergency, extreme measures must be used to ensure the security of the nation and that order prevails."

"Basically Natsu, you can now act above and outside the law. No Miranda warning. No courts. Nothing." Gildarts said watching as Natsu began to pale slightly.

"You are free to act however you so choose to ensure that you get the answers you need. Through the course of this investigation you may have to do things that…clash with the oath you promised to uphold. You'll have to lie, cheat, and steal. You'll have to sell drugs to earn trust and prove your loyalty. You may even have to kill."

"Are you serious?" Natsu said, his voice barely a whisper.

"Dead serious Natsu. However, with this power also comes plausible deniability from us. If you're caught or your identity is revealed, you'll have limited to no support. Aside from turning in your findings…you won't get much in terms of help from us if the shit hits the fan."

Natsu could only slowly blink as he began to realize what he was being asked to do; the weight that was steadily falling upon his shoulders. He knew one day he'd have to go undercover but this, this almost went beyond comprehending.

"I took an oath to protect the innocent and ensure that the laws of Fiore were enforced to the best of my ability. But now you're telling me I have to break that oath; that I may have to murder someone or ruin their lives just make sure no one knows who I am?" Natsu said.

Gildarts closed his eyes and exhaled slowly, "If that is the case, then so be it."

"Agent Dragneel, at the end of the day you will still be a Federal Agent. You will be upholding your oath on the grounds that the needs of the many outweigh those of the few. Acceptable losses are necessary, especially when it comes to matters such as this." The King said.

"We wouldn't have given this assignment to you if we had no other options. But Agent Dragneel, whether you realize it or not, we are at war with these drug makers. And they are currently winning that war." Darton said.

"…Why me?" Natsu asked, looking completely lost with himself.

"…Because we know of the skeletons you hide in your closet. The secrets you promised would never see the light of day. We picked you…because we know that one way or another, you'll take those secrets with you to your grave." Hisui said.

Natsu scoffed, "You don't know anything about me."

"We know plenty Agent Dragneel," Darton said thinly, "and we know that as appalled by this as you are…you will not back down."

Natsu glared at the Minister of Defense before rolling his eyes, "Oh you know me so well."

"Sarcasm is unbecoming of you." Darton quipped, "And yes, we do know you very well. Well enough to know that you lied to internal affairs about your former partner and covered for him."

"You stop right there." Natsu hissed, "And you leave him out this."

"No need, I think I've made my point. It just goes to show that after something like that, as much as secret eats away at you, you won't say a word."

Natsu's lips drew into a thin line, "Are you blackmailing me?"

"Not at all." Darton waved his hand, "I'm merely reminding you as to why you were selected for Narcotics in the first place. Why do you think you're administrative leave was cut so short?"

"Yeah…fine…I can keep a secret. It just kills my soul one bit at a time." Natsu glared.

"If that's the case then by the time all is said and done, your heart may very well become completely black." Darton smirked thinly.

Natsu continued to glare at Darton for several more minutes before he sighed heavily and covered his eyes, leaning against the table.

"God…" He muttered, "God…"

"Natsu…" Gildarts said, "If you feel that this is too much then-"

"I'll do it." He said, letting his hand fall away, "I'll do it."

"…Are you sure?" Gildarts asked.

Natsu shook his head, more of a gesture to himself if anything.

"I am." He affirmed.

"Agent Dragneel, I need to hear from you that you understand the assignment that's been given to you. That you will carry out your duties to the fullest and use whatever means necessary to end the threat we face." The King said.

"I understand sir." Natsu said, "It's overwhelming to process but…I understand none the less. I have a duty to uphold and uphold it I will. I'm sure if you had asked my dad to do this, he'd curse up a storm but would agree none the less. He knew his duty…and I know mine."

"Very well Agent Dragneel…prepare to take your first steps into the underworld." The King said.

After that, the meeting came to a close. A few points of the operation had been explained to Natsu but for all intents and purposes, he now had free reign. The third file Gildarts had given him contained all the relevant information on Vice in addition to Natsu's primary and secondary objectives. Then the video call was ended, leaving Natsu and Gildarts alone in the conference room.

After a tense silence, Natsu finally spoke.

"Is it true…that they know about what happened when I was a detective?" He asked.

"…They do. But don't worry, compared to what your partner did, you look like a saint in their eyes." Gildarts replied.

"I didn't feel like one at the time." Natsu frowned, "…This is really happening, isn't it?"

"It is." Gildarts affirmed, "It's a hell of a thing to live with. But if it's any consolation, one of my assignments early on was a case similar to this. You ever hear about that one drug cartel being run out of Desierto? The one run by Acnologia?"

"The "Black Dragon", Acnologia?" Natsu asked.

"Yep." Gildarts said with a pop of his lips.

"The man was a monster in every sense of the word. Ran the cocaine empire out there with an iron fist. When he began causing havoc within Fiore, I-a young narcotics agent like you-was assigned a Directive Zero mission to bring down Acnologia. I had to run drugs, sell drugs, torture, and kill. That case pushed me to my limits. But in the end, I shot Acnologia twice point blank and watched him fall into the ocean. I'd done my mission and had completely dismantled his cartel. Sure, we still have cartels out that way but nothing close to what Acnologia had."

Gildarts smiled wryly and ran his hand through his hair.

"How much did it cost you?" Natsu asked.

"When I got back home, after three years of being undercover, my superiors were so impressed by what I'd done that I was given a triple bonus on my next paycheck-a whopping eight hundred jewels-and a two week vacation. Oh, I got a promotion out of it too. All of that on top of me becoming an alcoholic and ruining my marriage and friendships."

Natsu arched a brow, especially when Gildarts began to chuckle to himself.

"And the funny thing…for all the nightmares I have because of what I did, for all the shit I had to endure, and how badly I fucked things up with my family; I'd do it all again. You know why?"

"…Why?" Natsu asked.

"Because," Gildarts smiled, "I took down one of the baddest motherfuckers in crime and saved who knows how many people from being killed over cocaine or becoming addicts. Yeah, I gave up a lot to stop Acnologia…but in the end, I took comfort in knowing that everything I did paid off in the long run."

Gildarts stood and went over to Natsu, placing his hand on his shoulder.

"I have to live with the choices I made, knowing no matter how terrible those choices were, the ends justified the means and I had a duty to uphold. You're going to have make the same choices I had to make while keeping that little tidbit in your head."

"Doesn't make it any easier." Natsu lamented.

"It never is." Gildarts shrugged.

"Listen. Although you'll be deep cover, you'll need some form of moral support. I mean, you've got me and everyone else here…I'm not saying get you a shrink kind of support…but do you have any friends outside of here that can help you keep some sanity?"

"No…not really." Natsu sighed. The job didn't really leave time to make friends or maintain friendships.

"What about people at your old precinct?" Gildarts asked to which Natsu let out a humorless laugh.

"Most of the people there want to crucify me after what happened while a few might want to go out for a drink for old time's sake. Either way, I'm persona non grata."

Gildarts frowned. Quite frankly, he could understand while those men and women would feel that way towards Natsu. Especially after what happened.

"I know it's a stretch asking this…but what about your old partner?"

Natsu shook his head slowly. His silence was all the answer Gildarts needed.

"Well…we may not be of much help to you here, but we're here for you none the less." Gildarts said and left the briefing room, leaving Natsu in silence while he called a meeting with the rest of the detachment.

Even as Gildarts informed the others of the existence of Vice and Natsu's undercover mission, he could feel their eyes slowly fall on him. They were looks of shock and concern. Some were amazement; that Natsu had agreed to the assignment in the first place. But Natsu paid them no mind as he tried to steel his nerves to face the monumental task that lay before him.

The mission to stop the spread of Vice would either kill him or leave him a changed man when the ashes settled. Either way, he hoped he was up for the task.

Because starting the next week, his life as a deep undercover agent would begin. And he had no idea what to expect.

XXXX

A/N: So, what do you all think? Am I off to a good start with this?

I once again apologize if things seemed disjointed or if the dialogue seemed a bit off. I usually have this problem whenever I start a new story but I hope to iron things out as I get a feel for this as things progress.

Not much of a dark beginning for this story but the tone has been set for what is to come. I've never written something as dark as what I have in mind for this so expect the content to progressively change with each chapter. I don't know how far I'll be able to push the envelope with this but any feedback you guys can give will help know what to write and what not to write.

So, in terms of updating this story, don't expect an update anytime soon. I have other stories I'm working on (which are in need of updating), plus, things are busy with my personal life. However, I am halfway through with writing the newest chapters for my other works and I have an idea as to how I want to update them. The next story I'll update is _Songs From the Sea_ , followed by _Vendetta_ , and then _Between Light and Shadow_. After which I'll come back to this and I'll keep this as my update pattern…just to add order to the chaos.

Next chapter, will be the beginning go Natsu's preliminary investigation, his first steps into the criminal underworld, and then…his meeting with Lucy and Lisanna.

Still, I hoped you enjoyed the first chapter as there are more to come.

As per usual, if you guys have any comments or questions, please put it in your review and I'll make sure to respond to you in the next chapter. If you have anything else that you wish to ask me or clarify, you can PM me and I'll do my best to respond ASAP.

Until next time; read, review and most importantly of all, HAPPY READING!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Hello everyone and welcome back!

I am very happy to see the response this story has garnered so far; the intrigue it has brought. I can't thank all of you enough for your feedback, plus the likes and follows. It makes me happy to see a story like this gather a following, no matter how small.

I know I said I was going to update _Songs from the Sea_ first but I couldn't keep this story out of my mind and had to get it out. Plus, I've been sick these past couple of days and wanted to get this chapter out while my head wasn't clouded up with Nyquil and a very nasty head cold. Rest assured, I'm almost finished with the next chapter for Songs and I will either have it out later sometime this week. My other stories I will work on and update over the next few weeks as well.

On a side note, I recently became a licensed Security Guard so hopefully I can find a steady job sometime soon!

Last time we were introduced to Natsu and his role as an elite narcotics agent for Fiore's Federal Police. A new and dangerous drug is sweeping the streets of Magnolia and Natsu is given the task of going deep undercover to try and unravel the mystery. This chapter will primarily focus on Natsu's backstory and his preliminary investigation…along with some fast paced action!

Before we continue, here is a shout out to you ladies and gents who were kind enough to leave a review last time around:

 _ **FreyaBee:**_ Hello my friend from afar! As discussed in our PM's I am very happy to see that this story has your interest and has you excited for things to come. I'll push this story to the limits and I can assure you, as things progress, we'll be in for a wild ride. And, in homage to your support and your own fabulous writing, I've included a reference to a certain story of yours and a certain band. One is subtle…the other, not so much. Enjoy.

 _ **SulliMike23:**_ Hey dude, always a blast to see you in the reviews! Thank you for your support with all my stories. To answer your question…yes…and yes.

 _ **Guest:**_ Okay.

 _ **Roger9481:**_ Hello! Lisanna and Lucy will show up next chapter so you won't have to wait too long.

 _ **ToLegitt2Quit:**_ Hello and welcome to the story! I haven't thought that far ahead as far yet. At this time, I have no idea how I want this story to end so I can't say for certain if something like that is in the works. I appreciate your enthusiasm however!

 _ **The Undeniable 1:**_ Hello and welcome, glad to know I have your interest.

 _ **DragneelHarem:**_ Hello! Glad you liked the beginning.

 _ **Snavej:**_ Hello and welcome! And you're awesome too!

 _ **Guest:**_ Uhm…last time I checked this is my story and I can write it how I choose. I'm sticking to what I have and that's the end of it. I'm trying something new and experimenting with new ideas; please be respectful to that. If you do not wish to read this story, there's no law saying that you have to. However, if you still wish to read "Between Light and Shadow", I will be updating that story soon enough so you can read that instead if you so choose. Thank you.

And now, without further ado, let's continue on with the story!

XXXX

CHAPTER 2

XXXX

 _ **One week after the initial briefing…**_

 _ **Natsu Dragneel's apartment, Southwest Magnolia…**_

The first thing Natsu did as one of his first acts of going undercover…was sleep in.

As a Federal Agent, his sleeping patterns were constantly off kilter and he was lucky to get a full nights rest. Most of the time he found himself running on four and five hours of sleep; six if he was lucky. At this point, the only thing helping him function was coffee, energy shots, and the occasional nap.

He missed the days when he could sleep in on weekends and wake up to Saturday morning cartoons. His dad would have had breakfast ready and waiting and together they'd watch Natsu's favorite superheroes battle it out with the bad guys.

But, sadly, those days were long gone. Now he usually spent his Saturdays in at the office or working a case. Sleeping in on the weekends had become a rare luxury.

So, on this day, Natsu had taken advantage of the fact that he was technically exempted from office work and didn't bother setting his alarm. He awoke at quarter to nine in the morning, not as late as he was hoping for but he felt recharged all the same. It was better than nothing after all.

After waking up, Natsu went about his usual morning routine. He made a breakfast of toast and scrambled eggs, along with a cup of coffee, all the while watching his TV for the latest news. There was a traffic accident on the main highway, the stock market was on the up and up, and the Miss Magnolia Pageant was coming up soon. Of course, Natsu had mused wryly, there'd be no mention of the war being fought in the streets nor the super drug that was dominating it.

After breakfast, he checked his agency issued tablet. There were a few new emails from Gildarts and Princess/Director Fiore but they were just follow ups to the operation. Nothing that hadn't been covered already; he'd read them later.

Then it was off to the shower. His showers could pass for a steam bath given how hot he ran the water but for Natsu, he wished the water could be hotter. The water eased the tension in his muscles and the steam cleared his lungs, helping him relax. His landlord would probably give him hell later on but Natsu tended to brush him off. Besides, the man didn't really have the stones to heckle a Federal Agent. So long as he paid the rent, the man didn't complain too much.

Stepping out of the shower, Natsu toweled off before swiping his hand across the mirror, wiping away the condensation. He studied his sharp features, noting the scar on his right cheek and the right side of his neck. The scar on his neck was a childhood injury while the scar on his cheek was courtesy of a 7.62mm round that nearly took his head off; nearly.

The rest of his body was toned and muscled from rigorous training and an active lifestyle. A lifestyle that earned him another scar. This one, an "X" shaped scar on the left of his abdomen; shrapnel from his first year in narcotics when an improvised explosive device nearly blew him to pieces…who knew ducking into a closet would save your life. Or that his body armor could take a hit like that.

Then there were his tattoos. On his right arm, a dragon with its wings flared and jaws open to a mighty roar. On his shoulders, the beginnings of a tribal design that morphed into a trinity knot and Keltic cross on the middle of his back. And set vertically down his left forearm, Celtic runes for strength, honor, justice, destruction, and defense.

His adoptive father, no, his dad-Igneel Dragion-would've been impressed with the amount of ink he had slapped on. Igneel himself had a tattoo or two but nothing like Natsu's. Natsu smiled a sad smile at the thought of his late father.

He had been the only father he'd ever known as his real parents had died when Natsu was too young to properly remember them. He could just barely recount how angelic his mother's laughter was or the depth of his father's laughter. Then the accident happened and they had been killed. After that he and his brother had been on their own for a while, having been placed in an orphanage before the foster system stepped in and separated them.

His brother had gotten the short end of the stick, being moved from home to home, and one shitty foster family after another. He eventually started to hang with the wrong crowd and well, as young as he was, Natsu could remember seeing his brother change for the worse. Truth be told his brother had scarred him. It had started when his brother had broken into the orphanage to get him back. On the way out he nearly beat one of the other kids to death when they tried to stop him. The second time he'd brought a gun. The third time Natsu had ran away from his own brother, lost and alone in an unfamiliar part of the city…and that's where he'd met Igneel.

Igneel was a cop through and through, some would even say bred in the bone. And he'd been on patrol the night he'd found Natsu. Igneel had taken pity on Natsu and rather than take him back to the orphanage, he had gotten permission from his Captain and C.P.S. to look after Natsu. What was meant to be a short stay eventually turned into an adoption with Igneel caring for Natsu as if he was his own blood. His brother however, wasn't too fond of a stranger taking his brother from him and had tried for a fourth and final time to get Natsu back. The aftermath resulted in his brother being hauled off to juvie and a restraining order placed against him. It was for the better, Natsu mused in retrospect. Igneel gave him love, support, and a place to call home. His brother…well, he tried to keep him out of his mind. He hadn't seen the man in years and he preferred that it stay that way.

Sighing heavily, Natsu pushed his errant thoughts of his mind and finished the rest of his morning routine. When he was dressed in a pair of jeans and a graphic tee, he sat down on the couch in his sparsely furnished apartment; with most of the things he owned having belonged to Igneel or had been taken from the old apartment. What he did own that mattered to him was an old but dangerously comfortable couch, Igneel's handmade coffee table, his flat screen and Xbox, and the photos he'd hung on the walls.

Natsu absentmindedly walked over to the photos and studied them. The first set were of a young Ingeel, from when he'd been in the military as Fiorean Royal Marine. The first photo was of Ingeel from his time in boot camp, smiling a brilliant smile with one of his buddies and a Drill Sergeant. The second was of Igneel in his winter uniform, popping his head out of a covered foxhole that he shared with an Alpine Trooper from Iceberg. The third photo of the set was of Ingeel, his fire red hair tied back into a short ponytail and wearing a desert uniform; his arm wrapped around the shoulder of a female Desierto border guard…Igneel's late wife: Sinead.

The second set of photo's came in three's once more. Igneel and Sinead on their wedding day. Igneel proudly holding his bachelor's degree upon graduating college. Igneel in his police uniform.

The final set of photos were more varied, but sadly, lacked Sinead. Igneel had explained once that he and Sinead were unable to have a child of their own and had been thinking of adopting before she tragically passed away from tuberculosis. That had been a few years before he'd come into Igneel's care. However, Natsu took pride in knowing he'd brought happiness back into Igneel's life.

The first photo was of the day he was adopted. The second was for Natsu's eighth birthday, a young Natsu smiling brightly and surrounded by his quasi family; men and women from Igneel's police unit. The third was arguably his favorite: he and Igneel dressed as Jango and Boba Fett from _Star Wars_ for Halloween.

The fourth was of Natsu's high school graduation, while the fifth and sixth photos were of Natsu's own police academy graduation and then of his time with the detectives. Natsu wished Igneel had been there to see him get that far though. Although Igneel had made Sergeant, he was still a patrol cop, same as he had been when he'd found Natsu. But one night, Natsu had been awoken by an officer from Igneel's squad, a homicide detective, and the department's chaplain. Igneel had responded to the report of a break in at a factory on the east side of the city…but upon arrival, had been ambushed and gunned down by an unknown attacker. He lived long enough to call for back up only to be silenced by a .44 magnum.

Natsu had been heartbroken; devastated. It took him a full year to get back on his feet but even now, his father's death still weighed heavily on him in the back of his mind. He'd followed in Igneel's footsteps, hoping to one day catch his killer. But he never came close to doing so and things didn't work out as he'd hoped for. But, here he was, an undercover agent carrying on the man's legacy. He knew-despite everything that had happened when he was a detective-he'd make Igneel proud if he was still alive. That, at least, brought him some comfort.

Sighing heavily, Natsu sat down on the couch and turned on the TV, catching the beginning an _X-Files_ rerun. It was mainly for background noise as he cleaned Igneel's Smith  & Wesson 586 .357 magnum revolver while reading over the dossier Gildart's had passed on to him. The dossier outlined the primary and secondary objectives of the undercover operation, the nuances of Directive Zero, support contacts, hideouts, and other facets of the operation. Natsu was particularly interested by the blank check aspect of the case; knowing that he could requisition weapons and equipment as he saw fit.

His cover story had also been provided. He was a former cop who was down on his luck, drifting from security job to security job; the pay he earned leaving much to be desired. In need of a change of pace and earning a better income, Natsu was willing to turn to shadier dealings to make a living. He was, after all, desperate. He'd still use his name and apartment but aside from that; no one would know who he was. What better way to hide than in plain sight?

The reports concluded with there being no new developments on Vice from the other undercovers or where to begin looking for leads. Well…that was about to change. Having smacked himself for not thinking of it sooner, Natsu remembered that he did have a contact of sorts who could possibly point him the right direction.

Having cleaned his gun and setting it aside, Natsu used his new, government issued, untraceable smartphone to call up Gildarts and Hisui.

"Good morning Agent Dragneel." Hisui answered with a slight yawn.

"Morning." Gildarts grunted, "What's up?"

"G'Morning to the both of you. You sound like death warmed you over Gildarts, rough night?" Natsu grinned.

"Ah, shut it. While you've been sleeping in these past couple days, I've been stuck here in the office covering for your sorry ass while managing everything else in between."

"You're the one who put me undercover." Natsu hummed.

"Bite me." Gildarts bit out, making Hisui titter.

"In all seriousness, what's up?" Gildarts continued, audibly swallowing down his second cup of coffee.

"I think I may have a way to get this investigation rolling. I'm sorry I didn't think of him before." Natsu said, feeling sheepish of his slip up.

"Him?" Asked Hisui.

"Does the name 'Hoteye' ring any bells?" Natsu replied.

"…Doesn't sound familiar." Hisui answered.

"Can't say that I have." Added, Gildarts.

"Good. He was an acquaintance of my late adoptive father. Man used to be into crime before my dad straightened him out. Severed his ties and did his best to disappear. He succeeded since only my dad and I know his real name and where he is. The man used to run with some of the most powerful crime guilds in the city so if anyone can give me an idea where to look, it'd be him."

There was a pause over the line and Natsu patiently waited.

"Can this man be trusted?" Hisui asked, "Don't take this the wrong way, but how can we trust the word of a reportedly reformed criminal?"

"The man found God." Natsu said simply.

"And?" Gildarts pressed.

"He became a priest and officiated my dad's funeral. Took my dad's confessions once upon a time too. The man has tried to make peace with himself and his past. Helping me should alleviate some of his guilt. He owes me and my dad this much." Natsu replied.

Hisui and Gildarts sighed. They weren't fond of the idea but at this point in time, it turning out to really be the only solid lead they had.

"Very well," Hisui said, "I'm authorizing this. Get into contact with him and report your findings ASAP. We'll have the boys in intel see what they can dig up."

"I hope your faith isn't misplaced in this…priest, Natsu. If he's lying to us, you better prepare for any trouble that might come along." Gildarts said.

"Oh ye of little faith." Natsu said in turn and ended the call.

Tucking his 586 into his concealed and carry holster, Natsu grabbed his dad's old M65 filed jacket and his keys, locking the door on his way out. After a quick trip down the elevator and into the adjacent parking garage, Natsu was on the road in was arguably his most prized possession. A black '68 Fastback Mustang. It had belonged to Igneel's father once upon a time, had been passed onto Igneel, and had been his high school graduation present. Natsu loved the old muscle car and God help anyone who so much as scratched it.

Peeling out onto the highway, Natsu took the familiar route that led out of the city and into the suburbs. It would be a fifty minute drive to Clover Town but it'd be worth it. It was a quiet little place where not much happened and people didn't have to worry much about the woes that plagued the city.

It was so quiet a town that it made the perfect place to hide in plain sight.

Well, that was about to change today. For Natsu, it was time to pay a visit to one Richard Buchanan.

XXXX

 _ **Trinity Church…**_

 _ **Clover Town…**_

It was another pleasant day, Father Richard Buchanan mused as afternoon mass came to an end.

The ever smiling gentle giant stood by his churches double wooden doors and greeted his parishioners, wishing them a wonderful rest of the day or speaking with those who lingered for a moment or two. He gave a quick hug to one of the children who made him a card and congratulated on young couple who were expecting their first child.

Another day, another afternoon tending his flock.

Richard closed the doors and stretched his back with a pleased grunt before humming a soft tune as he doused the prayer candles.

Making a mental list of his duties before he locked up for the day, stroking his beard and mustache as he did so, Richard looked forward to being able to close early for a change and going home to tend his garden; especially his daffodils. Then he'd relax for the night with a good book and a cup of tea.

He found it hard to believe that the things he once considered to be mundane and boring could bring him such joy. But then again, he had been a very different man who had led a very different life.

Once upon a time, he had been Richard "Hoteye" Buchanan who with his brother Wally, had worked for the infamous crime guilds of Fiore. Guilds such as Mermaid Heel, Phantom Lord, Grimoire Heart, Raven Tail, Lamia Scale, Quatro Cerberus, Blue Pegasus, Sabertooth, and Fairy Tail.

…Just to name a few.

They had been enforcers for hire, drifting from one guild to the next as they offered their craft. If someone owed money, the Buchanan brothers made sure it was paid in full. Needed a bank robbed without making a scene, the Buchanan brothers were in an out before anyone knew they were there. Needed someone to accept an offer they couldn't refuse…well, the brothers weren't afraid to get their hands dirty.

They were good at what they did and made good money in turn. But, unfortunately, that was what did them in. Richard had come to terms with the fact that he had once been a greedy, greedy man. The money he earned wasn't enough for him, he always wanted more.

It was this greed that led him to trying to rob one of the wealthiest men in the city, at that time; Jude Heartfilia.

His brother had been against the plan but Richard wasn't hearing any of it. The Heartfilia mansion was loaded with cash, jewels, and who knew what else. It was the stuff that could help set them up for life. Reluctantly, Wally had followed his brother to the mansion and the two broke in.

But as the duo had begun to search for their loot, they encountered an unexpected and ultimately fatal snag; Jude Heartfilia himself…and his bodyguards. They had arrived home early from a meeting, earlier than Richard had realized. He also hadn't realized that Jude himself had been packing heat!

Gunfire shattered the tranquility of the mansion as Wally and Richard made a desperate run for their lives. Out the window they came in, across the manicured lawn, and bounding over shrubs and flowerbeds they fled; all while bullets zipped on by and overhead. Wally was the first to reach the walls of the estate and scale it. But as he helped his brother up and over, he was struck down by Jude's own .327 magnum while Richard himself had been shot in the leg. Wally's injury was more grievous and by the time Richard got him to the hospital…he was dead.

Richard had been devastated by Wally's death. The only family he had left was gone and he had no one to blame but himself. He became bitter and reckless; he started messing up jobs and earning the ire of the guilds. Eventually, his self-loathing got the better of him and he made his way to the bridge that ran over the river at the heart of the city. He was going to end his life; it was the only way to escape his pain and the hole he'd dug for himself.

But he'd been saved at the last minute by a young police officer by the name of Igneel Dragion. The man had the uncanny ability to connect with people and Richard was no exception. Igneel talked him down, took him to a diner for a meal, and convinced him talk about his problems. He wound up revealing his sins to Igneel that night, but rather than turn him in, Ingeel had taken pity on Richard and was convinced that the man hadn't been beyond redemption. It took some time, but Igneel convinced Richard to leave behind his criminal life style and work to repent his past crimes. This led Richard to the church, which led to seminary, which…well, one could get the idea.

Because of Igneel, he was here in Clover, working day in and day out to repent for what he'd done in the past and mend the troubles of his flock. In his humble opinion, each passing day brought him one step closer to earning the forgiveness he sought.

And this afternoon had been no exception.

Snapping out of his funk, the priest patted his cheeks twice to shake off his wayward thoughts and continued to hum his happy tune. He'd clean up the altar, make sure his chores here at the church were taken care of and then he'd head home to enjoy the rest of the day.

But, the peace was disrupted by the rumbling of a familiar car engine and the haunting voice of Johnny Cash.

 _You can run on for a long time  
Run on for a long time  
Run on for a long time  
Sooner or later God'll cut you down  
Sooner or later God'll cut you down_

Richard paused and slowly turned to face the front doors of the church as the engine died to an idle while the music still echoed in through the open windows.

 _Go tell that long tongue liar  
Go and tell that midnight rider  
Tell the rambler,  
The gambler,  
The back biter  
Tell 'em that God's gonna cut 'em down  
Tell 'em that God's gonna cut 'em down  
Tell 'em that God's gonna cut you down_

Then the engine shut off and the music died. Richard moved from the altar, making it halfway down the aisle before the doors opened and in stepped a man he hardly recognized. But at the same time, he still remembered when said man was a young boy, impatiently waiting for his father to finish his prayers or squirming in his pew.

Richard smiled softly, "Hello Natsu."

Natsu dipped his fingers in the holy water and made the sign of the cross before he approached Richard. The priest's smile faltered slightly, old habits telling him that Natsu was carrying a gun on him. He would have scolded Natsu for entering a house of God with such a thing but knew that such words would fall on deaf ears. He knew that Natsu wasn't here for a social visit or to confess his sins.

"Hello padre." Natsu said as he removed his sunglasses, "It's been a while."

"Too long indeed young man. I believe the last time I saw you was at the-"

"At the funeral. I know." Natsu cut in curtly.

Richard sighed but still maintained his smile, "You look tired. Still chasing bad guys I see."

"You could say that, yeah." Natsu replied as Richard guided him to one of the pews. The two man sat adjacent to one another, a tense silence falling between them.

Eventually, Natsu spoke.

"I need your help Father Buchanan. Something's come up and I believe you're the only man I can turn to at this point."

Richard sighed and folded his hands, "You wouldn't have come back here otherwise. I always feared my sins would return to haunt me."

"It's not your sins that I'm interested in." Natsu replied, pointedly.

"So it would seem. Very well…what do wish to know?"

"I'm working a case; an investigation into a new drug that's hit the streets. Not really sure where it's coming from or who's making it but it's making a mess of things. Bad guys are getting better armed, people overdosing; that sort of shtick. Thing is, no one has been able to dig up anything on this drug, not even so much as a whisper in the wind. Given your past experiences, I figured you'd be the man I could ask."

Richard sighed once more and looked to the large cross mounted to the wall behind the altar. The stained glass windows that filled the church created a myriad of beautiful colors in the afternoon light.

"I left that life behind a long time ago. Things have changed since my time and your father's time. What makes you think I'd know anything about what goes on in the city? I've made it a point to distance myself from it and from that life."

"Distance or not, even a man like you whose seen and done everything illegal in the book must know something of value. I wouldn't be here otherwise if I didn't think you knew something." Natsu pressed.

"It doesn't have to be about the drug. I just need a point in the right direction and then I can move from there. Names, phrases, locations; anything of the sort."

Richard chewed on his lip while slowly stroking his beard, "If someone finds out that I said something, especially to you; I'm a dead man."

Natsu gave a thin smile, "Then I'll just have to be careful how I phrase my words. And if it comes down to it, well, I'm not above making sure your secret stays as secret…permanently."

And Richard believed him. There was a hardness in Natsu's eyes that hadn't been there when he was younger. He knew Natsu had always held reservations about taking a life, given his line of work, but there was just something in his words that made Richard believe he was willing to cross the line if he had to.

It disturbed him. Which in turn made him know he had to give the lawman an answer.

"…Are you familiar with Fairy Tail?"

"The crime guild?" Natsu asked.

"Yes." Richard nodded.

"Hmmm," Natsu hummed, "we've booked members of that guild in the past but they never could be held for long. Charges were dropped or dismissed. Potential witness's keep their mouths shut or made themselves scarce. We know that they've been involved in plenty of shady things but have never been able to connect them to anything. From what's been gathered and what's known, for being the top dogs in Fiore they keep a low profile. Raven Tail, Grimoire Heart, and Phantom Lord could give them a run for their money but those jokers know their place."

"As they should." Richard said.

"Fairy Tail is the leading crime guild in this part of the country; anything and everything crime related has to pass through them or get their approval. Especially from the Guild Master and his partner. If I remember correctly…Makarov Dreyar and Madam Porlyusica should still be in charge. Back on point, anyone who opposes the guild is either left with more than a few broken bones or is found floating in the river. They're so powerful in fact that it wouldn't surprise me if they managed to take over another guild and bring it into their sphere of influence."

Natsu gave that fact some thought. Now that Richard mentioned it, it had been a while since the SD4N or other departments had heard anything from Sabertooth, Mermaid Heel, and Lamia Scale. Could it be that they had been absorbed into Fairy Tail? He'd have to ask Gildart's and Hisui if they heard anything through the grapevine. Or maybe contact a buddy or two in Special Detachment's Two and Five. Information gathering and wiretapping was their unit's specialties.

"And they keep a low profile for a good reason. Too much attention would be bad for business."

"Business?" Natsu asked, "What kind?"

"Let's just say that aside from the usual guns and drugs they deal with, their main focus is more to catering the…taboo."

"What do you mean?"

Richard shook his head, "I don't think I'd even know where or how to explain it all. I've seen things at that place that would put even the raunchiest adult films to shame."

He then looked to Natsu, his gaze firm and mouth set in a line.

"If it is true that a new drug has been making its way onto the streets, then Fairy Tail is responsible for putting it out there. Or, at the very least, they're facilitating the means for its spread. Fairy Tail has an extensive network in the city; one point may connect to another or lead to a dead end."

"It's a start for me none the less. I'll follow all the points until I get my answers." Natsu said, "How do I make contact?"

"With Fairy Tail?" Richard gave a humorless chuckle, "Natsu my boy, one does not simply go asking around how get into that guild. People will catch wind of it and will either beat you for asking the wrong questions or shoot you dead."

The priest retrieved a prayer card from the pew and held it up for emphasis, "You have to be invited into Fairy Tail by a member of Fairy Tail."

Natsu pursed his lips, "Then who, pray tell, can as I ask for an invitation."

"That's where you have to be careful. Ask the wrong person, and-well-you're dead. The best advice I can give you is to keep an eye out for a member who bears the mark of a 'Fairy.' Or, you'll have to get your name out there that you're looking for something…specific. That drug you mentioned, for instance. You may not get an immediate response, but ask only once for it. I guarantee that someone will try to contact you."

Natsu was silent for a few minutes before running his hand through his hair, "If that's what it takes…then so be it."

Natsu stood and placed his shades back on. He moved past Richard before giving him a pat on his shoulder.

"Thank you for your help Father Buchanan. You very well may have set things in motion for me."

Natsu was halfway to the doors when Richard spoke up once more.

"Natsu…do you believe it is possible to atone for our sins. To find forgiveness in the eyes God and that he will absolve us of all our wrongdoings?"

Natsu looked over his shoulder to find that the priest had stood and had turned to face him. Natsu shrugged simply.

"Dunno." He said, "I'd guess we'd have to ask the almighty in person when that time comes."

"Every day since I began my search for forgiveness, I've asked myself those questions. I believe I may never be able to rid my heart of the stain that's blackened it…but I feel that I've been on the right path to earning some measure of redemption."

"What are you getting at?" Natsu asked.

"From what we just discussed, I feel that you must soon walk a path that may very well destroy you. I have no idea what you've gotten yourself into but tell me, are you prepared-truly prepared-to handle whatever darkness you may face?"

Natsu gave a sardonic smirk, "If you knew what I did for a living you wouldn't be asking that."

It was a lie, a good lie, but Natsu had to convince himself that he was up for the task. He'd possibly just gotten his first big break and he needed to steel his nerves accordingly.

The priest sighed heavily and retrieved his rosary beads from his pocket.

"Then I wish you the best of luck and god speed." Richard said, "I'll say a prayer for your protection and keep you in my thoughts. Good luck Natsu."

"…Thanks." Natsu said and turned on his heel, making his exit.

" _I'll need all the luck I can get."_ He added as an afterthought.

With that in mind, he returned to his Mustang and made his journey back home. He'd grab a late lunch and give a call to Gildarts and the Princess to let them know of his new lead.

As fate would have it, however, things were about to take an unexpected turn for the undercover agent.

XXXX

 _ **Downtown Magnolia…**_

 _ **Near East Gate Park…**_

Natsu had just finished his meal at the diner and was on his way back home. The diner was a mom and pop place that Igneel used to frequent during his shifts and would take Natsu to when he didn't have time to make dinner. The hot dogs were delicious and the pancakes offered for breakfast were to die for. Which, funnily enough, Igneel had used to joke that even though the pancakes would kill him in twenty years he'd eat them till they day his arteries clogged shut.

Natsu mused on these thoughts as he pulled up to the intersection next to East Gate Park. The park was a fairly large plot of land that was big enough to hold two playgrounds, a few bike paths, and plenty of trees and patches of green. He had fond memories of the park and he could almost imagine his ten year old self running and playing with his friends on the grounds. Hell, his first kiss had been here back in junior high.

His thoughts were suddenly interrupted when a loud "thunk" shook his car. Head snapping forward, Natsu watched as a man with short blonde hair and dressed in a dark business suit-with blue undershirt-pushed up off the ground and skirted around the front of his car.

"Oi!" Natsu barked, sticking his head out the window, "What the hell's the matter with you!?"

"Sorry!" The man grinned a hastily, "I'm in a rush!"

Natsu flipped the man the bird and watched as he dashed off into the park. Grumbling to himself about idiots not paying attention, Natsu was about to turn when the light switched to green when six men ran across the street. One of the men even slid over the hood of his car.

"Oh for the love of…" Natsu hissed, "Hey assholes; watch it!"

But the men paid him no heed. They were too focused on running into the park. Even as horns of other drivers blared at him, Natsu was able to hear the men call out to one another.

"Get that son of a bitch!"

"Don't let him escape!"

"You're not getting away this time Fairy boy!"

"We'll be sending you back to the old man in pieces by the time we're through with you!"

Natsu double blinked. Did they just say…Fairy? As in Fairy Tail Fairy? Remembering what Richard had told him, Natsu felt a spike of adrenaline and gunned his car's engine. Swerving out and down the street, Natsu sped along until he found a parking lot that led into East Gate. Parking, Natsu was immediately tempted to draw his 586 but his training made him think better of it.

There was no need to put civilians at risk and cause a panic with a crossfire.

Reaching into the glove compartment, Natsu grabbed his collapsible baton and hopped out of the car. Running into the park, Natsu's eyes scanned for the men and their blonde target. He was rewarded when a small group of park goers ran past him in obvious fear and panic.

He stopped a woman who held her child in her arms, "What's wrong!?"

"These men came out of nowhere and started attacking this other man; they have guns and I think they're going to kill him!" The woman was on the brink of tears and tried to pull away. Her child began to cry.

Natsu held firm, "Where?"

"The-the playground!" The woman stammered, "With the seesaws!"

"Get to safety and call the cops." Natsu released the woman and ran off, ignoring her confused plight to come back or that he'd be killed too.

Natsu ran at a dead run, knowing exactly where the woman was talking about. As he ran, he snapped his arm out and extended his baton and not a moment too soon. He saw the playground up ahead and on the bike path, the men had caught up to blondie. Two men held him by the arms while the one laid into him and the other two stood guard. However, their backs were turned to him.

Taking a few calming breathes as he hid behind a tree, Natsu came up with a quick plan of attack. He'd strike the two who were supposed to be on lookout and then take down the others. If they were armed, they'd be too close to shoot lest they shot their buddies.

Getting fresh air into his lungs, Natsu sprinted from his cover and crossed the thirty yard distance between him and the goons. His boots thundered on the bike path asphalt but by the time the one guard turned his head, it was too late. Natsu struck low, fast, and hard. His baton cracked against the man's thigh making him cry out in pain. He fell to a knee and was struck down by Natsu's follow up hit; the man's nose breaking under Natsu's open palm strike.

Natsu pivoted and struck the other guard in the head with the baton. He went down like a sack of bricks.

"What the fuck!?" The third man, who was beating blondie, said in alarm as he turned.

Blondie, taking advantage of the distraction, stomped his foot down on his one captors foot, making him howl in pain and release his hold. As he stumbled back, Blondie turned on his other captor and with a snarl, broke the man's arm before hurling him over his shoulder and slamming him onto the ground.

Natsu in the meantime was dealing with the heavy hitter. The man blocked Natsu's strikes with his forearms but Natsu knew where to hit. A few well-placed hits to the rips made the man falter and he was finally brought down by a face full of vulcanized rubber. A literal boot to the head.

"Fuckers!" Blondie spat as he grabbed one of the discarded guns, ready to finish off his assailants.

Natsu, however, struck the gun out of his hand with the baton earning a sharp hiss from the man.

"What the hell man!?" Blondie snarled.

"Don't." Natsu warned, collapsing his baton, "They're down and out, no need to kill them."

"If you knew who these guys were you wouldn't be saying that." Blondie massaged his wrist.

Natsu simply gave him a pointed glare that left no room for argument but blondie scowled regardless. One of the men-the one with the broken nose-groaned and received a sharp kick from Natsu.

"Stay down," Natsu growled before changing tone, "You alright?"

"…Yeah. I've had worse." Blondie said, extending his hand, "Thanks for the save, you seem to know your stuff. Name's Sting; Sting Eucliffe."

Sting Eucliffe was tall and fit with light blonde hair, deep blue eyes, and a scar over his right eye. His clothes were slightly disheveled and his lip was split, but otherwise appeared to be fine.

"I've had practice." Natsu shook Sting's hand, "I'm Natsu Dragneel. What were these guys after you for?"

Sting grinned, "Ah, one of their Phantom Lord buddies tried to mess with my girl. Being the chivalrous man that I am, I decided to teach the schmuck a lesson. Did just that, beat him to a pulp…but I wasn't expecting these six to show up."

"Phantom Lord?" Natsu asked, looking at the fallen men, "You mean the crime guild, Phantom Lord?"

"The very same." Sting cracked his neck, "They're always giving us trouble but are smart enough to know not to push things too far."

Natsu opened his mouth to respond but paused when a thought occurred to him. Sting had said that there had been six Phantom members-he even remembered seeing six chase after Sting-but here there were five.

…Uh-oh.

"Uhm…" Natsu pursed his lips, "where's the other guy?"

"Other guy?"

"You said there were six right? I only see five." Natsu said as he began to cautiously take in his surroundings.

Sting too noticed the slight discrepancy…and palmed his face.

"Ah, shit."

Movement out of the corner of his eye made Natsu turn to see the remaining Phantom Lord member running from out behind a tree with a phone to his ear. Natsu didn't need to guess who he was calling.

"We need to leave. _Now_." Natsu stressed and motioned for Sting to follow, the two breaking out into a run.

"Where are we going, those guys are fast and they'll be crawling all over this park in no time!"

"Anywhere but here!" Natsu replied.

By the time they made it back to the Fastback, Natsu could see three black sedans swerving into the parking lot with some rather fierce looking men as passengers.

"Hop in, we're getting out of here!" Natsu said as he pulled a _Dukes of Hazard_ and slid over the hood of the Mustang. He and Sting were seated in seconds and Natsu was glad he'd left the keys in the ignition. The engine roared to life and Natsu pulled out of the parking space just as the Phantom Lord goons were exiting their cars.

"Hang on." Natsu said, catching a manic grin spliting Sting's face. The man seemed to be enjoying himself.

The Mustang sped out of the parking lot, nearly hitting a passing car, and pulled out onto the street. In his rear view mirror, Natsu could see the black sedans following suite and give chase. Speeding down the street, Natsu made a sharp turn down onto Fourth Street and followed it until he reached Maple Avenue. Seeing that he still hadn't shaken their pursuers, Natsu drove the car up across the sidewalk-giving thanks that people were smart enough to get out of the way-and guided the car to the thoroughfare that would take him to the highway.

They needed to be clear of the city streets and gain some speed if they wanted to put some distance between them and the Phantoms.

"They're still on us." Sting said, "You sure you know what you're doing?"

"I have a few ideas, yeah." Natsu replied.

They crossed the interchange and soon entered the main highway. The highway ran right through the city and across the river with the main bridge connecting the two halves of the city. They were currently heading southbound, away from the western district, and the four lanes of the highway would offer plenty of room to evade the Phantoms.

"Whatever those ideas are, you better start using them; here they come." Sting said, finally snapping on his seatbelt.

The first sedan pulled up fast and onto the left; the windows dropped to reveal two Phantoms with guns drawn. They aimed and just before they fired, Natsu hit the brakes, and the car pulled back just as gunfire devoted the pavement. Other drivers slammed on their brakes and Natsu heard the sound of metal crunching but he didn't dare pause to look back. He pulled into the left lane and gunned the engine.

The second and third cars quickly followed, their passengers leaning out of the windows to fire their weapons at Natsu and Sting. Natsu swerved left and right to throw of their aim, making Sting laugh in amusement.

"We're getting shot at and you're laughing your ass off." Natsu said through gritted teeth, "What is wrong with you!?"

"Man this is a normal day for me and my friends; we live for this shit!" Sting grinned.

Natsu drew his revolver and held it out to Sting, "Make yourself useful and see if you can make them keep their heads down."

"I'll do more than that…" Sting's grin turned malicious.

Unbuckling, he leaned out the window and steadied himself, taking aim careful aim with the .357 magnum. Natsu took a quick glance and saw that Sting's grin had turned into a smirk while his eyes had taken a deadly focus. Bullets cracked overhead but Sting didn't flinch. He fired once and the windshield of the second car was sprayed with blood. The driver had been hit and promptly lost control of the vehicle, causing it to drift and careen into the concrete divider and wreck out. The phantoms were tossed from the vehicle while the car flipped side onto side.

Not missing a beat, Sting leaned up over the roof, drew a bead, and fired two shots at the third car. The Phantom in the front passenger seat was hit and the windshield fractured.

"Let them pull alongside us, I've got an idea." Sting said, ducking back into the Mustang.

"You sure about that?" Natsu said, looking in the mirrors. They were still speeding down the highway, well, well above the speed limit. Off in the distance he could begin to see the flashing red and blue lights of the MPD. If they didn't lose the Phantoms soon, they'd have bigger problems on their hands than gang members.

"Trust me." Sting smirked.

" _Like I have a choice."_ Natsu thought, decreasing speed just enough for third car to pull up. Before the Phantoms could retaliate, Sting fired two rounds into the front tire, causing a catastrophic blowout and forcing the driver to scramble for control.

"One round left." Sting said as he and Natsu watched the car swerve left and right as the driver fought for control. The first car had caught up just in time for the third car to careen into it and spin out of control. The first car however powered on, the driver ignoring his companions and gunning it for Natsu and Sting.

"My turn." Natsu said, taking back his gun from Sting.

Natsu put the petal to the metal and the Mustang gave a mighty roar. The car lurched forward and put some distance between them and the first car. Then, just as they drew near the next off ramp, Natsu hit the brakes, shifted gears, and spun the car so that it was facing the oncoming assailants.

"Uh, Natsu?" Sting asked, watching as Natsu cocked the hammer back on his revolver. He then braced his arms atop the door, steadying his grip as if he were target shooting.

The oncoming car drew closer and closer.

"Uhm, Natsu…he's getting closer." Sting said with a hint of worry in his voice. He was crazy but Natsu was a wildcard; he'd just met the guy after all.

Natsu took careful aim, lining up the revolvers sights, and waited for the Phantom Lord's car to get within fifty yards before squeezing the trigger. Like before, the windshield was sprayed with blood; the driver lost control; and the car flipped onto its side. It slid across two lanes before finally turning onto the roof; the terrible sound of metal grinding against asphalt filled the air. It was a few long seconds before the car met the divider and came to a stop.

No one inside the car moved.

Exhaling heavily, Natsu holstered his gun, and turned back down the off ramp.

"Let's get out of here, the cops will be all over this place soon." Natsu said, "I know a few routes that'll allow us to slip on by."

Sting didn't reply as Natsu navigated the streets and it wasn't until fifteen minutes had passed that Natsu finally looked at the man; annoyed at feeling his eyes fixed on him.

"What?" Natsu asked.

"Nothing." Sting said with something akin to a half pleased, half intrigued smirk on his face.

"Where'd you learn to shoot like that?"

"I could ask the same of you?" Natsu quipped.

"My grandpa." Sting continued to smirk, "But it's more of a skill born out of necessity kind of thing."

Natsu didn't press, wanting to keep up an aloof façade, "…My dad taught me how to shoot too."

"Must've been a hell of a shot."

"He was," Natsu said, turning down Cross and Twilight, "But it's just something I practiced for."

"You a cop?" Sting asked, suddenly changing topics.

For a moment, Natsu panicked. Had he been made already? Pushing the thought away, Natsu settled for a white lie…if it could be called that.

"No…armed security." Natsu replied.

"Heh, must be a hell of thing you're guarding if you have to know how to shoot like that." Sting quipped.

"It's nothing serious…pays that bills and that sort of thing." Natsu shrugged. Glancing in the rear view mirror, Natsu was relieved to see that the MPD hadn't caught up with them.

"You don't sound too pleased." Sting smirked to which Natsu shrugged, not giving an answer.

The two were quiet before Natsu decided to pull over in front of an abandoned corner store. The sun was setting now and it would be dark soon.

"What happens now?" Natsu asked, "I'd imagine Phantom Lord isn't going to be happy about all of this."

"Psh, like I said, those guys know their place." Sting said dismissively.

"They'll be pissed but they'll get over it; my guild master will see to that."

"…You're in a crime guild?" Natsu asked, doing his best to keep his cool.

"Damn right I am. One of the best ones around." Sting flashed a toothy grin, "Care to know?"

"Not particularly." Natsu replied, making Sting quirk a brow before chuckling deeply.

"You know…I could kill you, take this car, and be on my merry way. After all, I just told you that I was in a crime guild in addition to the fact that we both have blood on our hands now. I could leave your body here and have you take the fall for everything that just happened."

"You could…but you won't." Natsu said after swallowing hard, wishing he had reloaded his revolver.

Sting continued to smirk, "You catch on quick. Truth is, you interest me. Not many men could've held their own in the way that you did. You saved my ass back there and I owe you one; me a complete stranger who just admitted being a criminal to you. And here you are, taking it in stride. You've got a pair on you and I can respect that. Plus, we make a pretty good team you and me, so I owe that to you as well."

"Meaning?" Natsu asked to which Sting dug into his suit jacket and produced a white business card. After a moment's hesitation, Natsu took it.

"Meaning that as a token of appreciation, if you're ever in the mood for a good time, give my number here a call and I'll set you up. Trust me, you haven't lived until you've visited where I… _work_. Besides, you look like the kind of guy who's not afraid to take a ride to the dark side."

Natsu examined the card. It was a standard card, small and unimpressive, and had only a phone number printed on it. He pocketed the card and gave the pocket a tap.

"I'll keep it in mind." Natsu said to which Sting grinned.

"I'm sure I'll be hearing from you soon enough. You look a guy who could use a break." Sting suddenly exited the car and made his way over to Natsu's side.

"Plus, maybe I can help you find a better job that's more suitable to your skills." Sting said, keeping his tone cryptic.

He gave Natsu a wink, pivoted on his heel and began to walk away. Slightly confused as to what happened, Natsu leaned out the window and called back to Sting.

"Don't you want a lift home? And what did you mean by all of that?" Natsu asked to which Sting simply dug into his pocket, produced his phone, and disappeared around the corner.

Natsu sighed heavily and ran his hands down his face. That had been…an experience. A part of him was grateful to the fact that he had come into contact with a member of Fairy Tail in a series of extraordinary events. But another part was lamenting the fact that he had caused a serious mess back on the highway and had just pissed off one of the major crime guilds in the city.

Starting his car up again, Natsu was dreading the phone call he would have to make when he got back home.

XXXX

 _ **Natsu's apartment…**_

 _ **Later that night…**_

Natsu sighed heavily as he once again sat on his couch, phone set on speaker, while he cleaned Igneel's 586. Hisui was chewing him out for all the havoc he'd caused on the highway earlier and the nightmare it had been to ensure that the police didn't come looking for him. Apparently she had to cash in a favor or two.

Gildarts, all the while, was laughing his ass off.

"Man, I wish I could've been there to see that." Gildarts cackled, "You not only managed to cause a twenty care pile up but then you went and pulled some John Wayne grade bullshit headshot."

Natsu rolled his eyes and continued to clean the barrel of the revolver.

"Man, oh man, I just can't believe how lucky you got today."

Natsu could imagine Gildarts wiping a tear from his eyes. Hisui's annoyed huff caught his attention and he could imagine the deep seated scowl on her face.

"Special Agent Clive, would you please get a grip, we have more pressing matters to attend to."

"Sorry…sorry." Gildarts apologized with a small snigger.

Hisui sighed heavily, "Alright Agent Dragneel, where do we stand as of this moment?"

"I was able to get some interesting info from my informant in addition to meeting that Fairy Tail member; Sting. My source told me that Fairy Tail seems to be the dominant crime guild in the city and that if any drug is being funded or distributed, it goes through them. With their approval of course. Also, my contact believes that Fairy Tail has gained enough power to have absorbed other crime guilds into its control."

"That confirms what information we were able to gather." Hisui said.

"Fairy Tail has been on the rise within the last few years so it doesn't surprise me if they enacted a hostile takeover or two. Or if other guilds got smart and allowed themselves to be folded in." Gildarts added.

"I got that vibe from Sting. The man is psychotic, I swear to god." Natsu said, disassembling the revolvers internals.

"Speaking of which, how can you be sure you're not walking into an ambush?" Hisui asked, "As great a lead this is, how can you be sure you weren't made?"

"I'm talking to you, aren't I?" Natsu quipped.

"Be that as it may, he could be setting you up for something."

"I don't think so. The man may be psychotic but he was looking at me like…I don't know, like he saw something in me. It wasn't being a cop, it was something…different. I don't know. Both way, we have a shot and we should take it while we can."

"Agreed." Gildarts said, "If my experience has taught me anything, it's that for this type of mission you need to strike while the iron is hot. We have a potential way into Fairy Tail; to see if what Natsu has learned is true or not. If this pays off we have to see where it goes."

Hisui was quiet, obviously mulling over the facts while at the same time, wondering if she'd be sending Natsu to his death if she approved of him taking up Sting's offer.

"It's your call Princess." Natsu said, having finished cleaning his revolver. He put it back together and closed the cylinder with a solid "Snap!"

Finally, she answered, "Alright. Agent Dragneel, make your call. Do what needs to be done but be careful about it. We can't afford to lose you this early on; not when we've made such sudden progress."

"I understand mam." Natsu replied.

"Good. As soon as you can, report back to me with what you have learned. Agent Clive, for the time being I'm tasking you and the rest of the SD4N to continue to look for Vice labs hidden within the city. If you can, take suspects in alive and hand them over to SD6 and SD10 for interrogation."

"Roger that mam, we'll get them to you." Gildarts said with an amused drawl.

"Then we are adjourned." Hisui said and the line went dead. Only Gildarts remained on call.

"Yes?" Natsu asked.

"You ready for this? You'll have to pull out all the stops with this one; do whatever is necessary." Gildarts said.

"I am."

"Are you sure? If this is Fairy Tail you're getting involved with Natsu, be prepared. I've heard of some crazy shit those guys get into and no amount of backup will be able to save your ass if things go sideways."

"…I'm sure. You know what they say, 'I'm one with the force, the force is with me' and all that jazz. I'll be fine old man, don't worry."

Gildarts sighed heavily, "I think it'll take more than that to make me _not_ worry. Good luck Natsu."

And then the call ended. Natsu stared at his phone for several long minutes before finally picking it up and dialing Sting's number. The phone rang five times before the signal was distorted for a moment, the sound of dial tone, more distortion, and two quick rings before the call was answered.

"Hello? This is Natsu Dragneel may I speak to…Oh hi Sting, how are you tonight...I'm fine, just a little shaken up after today…Listen, I think you were right; I do need a break…Yeah…Yeah, I'm taking you up on your offer."

XXXX

 _ **The Next Day…**_

 _ **Evening, Magnolia's North District…**_

Natsu leaned against his car in the parking garage Sting had told him to drive to the night before. Over the phone, Sting had given him instructions to go to the city's north side where he and few friends of his would pick Natsu up. The man had been ecstatic to hear from him and the two worked out a pick up time.

Sting had advised him to leave his weapons at home as failing to do so would leave him with a bullet in the back of his skull. His guild master was strict when it came to security, even if people had the right to carry a CCW. No chances were to be taken.

So Natsu had taken Sting's advice and had done just that. He had to admit, he felt uncomfortable without the weight of the 586 resting on his hip; knowing that he didn't have a weapon readily available to defend himself. He'd have to improvise if it came down to that…which he hoped it didn't.

Tonight, Natsu wore a red flannel shirt with the sleeves rolled up over a black tee, denim jeans, boots, and his father's scarf-a birthday gift-around his neck. All he had on him were his keys, watch, and phone.

Checking his watch for the umpteenth time that evening did his best to keep his nerves in check. Sting would be there any minute and he didn't want to give himself away to the man. It all felt too easy, too coincidental, to have gotten that information from Richard only to run into a member of Fairy Tail later in the same day.

" _Perhaps,"_ Natsu mused with a wry smile, _"it was fate."_

He was never one to believe in fate, destiny, or any of that other mystical bullshit. He tended to favor the laws of cause and effect; things seemed more grounded when he thought like that.

The sound of an approaching car engine snapped Natsu out of his thoughts and he looked to see a black cargo van make its way up the ramp towards him. Time to see what cause and effect he'd set in motion. Then, sticking his head and arm out of the passenger window, was Sting. The man grinned and gave Natsu a wave.

"Yo, Natsu!" Sting grinned as the van came to a stop.

"Sting." Natsu gave a curt nod.

The van doors opened and three other men stepped out along with Sting. Sting, this time around was dressed in a white button down with the sleeves rolled up, a pinstripe vest with blue tie, white slacks, and black shoes.

The second man had jet black hair tied into a shorty ponytail and covered the right side of his face. Beneath his piercing red eyes was a scar across his nose. Opposite of sting, he wore a black button down, a white vest with red tie, black slacks, and black shoes.

The other two men looked like they were dressed for an underground rave and eyed Natsu with disinterest. And most prominently Natsu noted, all four men were armed and sported their choice of firearm in shoulder or hip holsters. Sting seemed to favor a SIG P226, his buddy a CZ-75, and the other two carried Beretta's.

Sting strolled over to Natsu and the two shook hands before Sting slung his arm around Natsu's shoulder.

"Natsu, tonight will be a night you won't soon forget." Sting grinned, "I guarantee it."

"I'll hold you to that then." Natsu quipped.

Sting simply smirked before gesturing to tall, dark, and brooding, "This is my blood brother; Ryos Cheney. But you can call him Rogue."

"Nice to meet you." Rogue and Natsu shook hands, "Sting won't shut up about the trouble you two caused yesterday. Thank you for keeping his ass out of harm's way, he's always getting into trouble."

"Hey, I'm not that bad. At least I'm not as bad as Frost and Gajeel." Sting tousled Rouge's hair who promptly swatted him away.

"And yet, the three of you always seem to cause the greatest amount of havoc." Sting smirked.

"Havoc, shmavoc." Sting gave a dismissive wave of his hand, "We have fun all the same. Speaking of which…"

He released Natsu and snapped his fingers. Suddenly, the world went dark and his arms were yanked behind him. Before Natsu knew what had happened to him, he was swept off his feet and hauled into the van.

"Alright Rouge, floor it!" Sting cackled as the van lurched forward and proceeded to tear its way out of the parking garage.

It was then that Natsu panicked…to put it mildly.

"What the fuck is wrong with you people!?" Natsu's muffled voice said past the hood over his head while his hands fought against a pair of handcuffs.

"Easy Natsu, easy." Sting tried placating his…friend, was that the right word?

"Easy!?" Natsu barked, "Let me toss a bag over your head and see how you like it, asshole! You trying to kill me after I saved your sorry ass!?"

"Guys hold him down." Rogue sighed as he navigated the nighttime traffic.

One of the men grabbed Natsu's ankles and it was then that he lashed out. He didn't know where the man's neck was be he could hazard a guess.

"Ack!" The man choked as Natsu's shins clamped down on his neck. Some quick leveraging soon found Natsu's legs wrapped around his neck and head.

"He's choking me; he's got me in a sleeper hold!" The man gasped.

"Oh for the love of...Natsu, let him go." Sting sighed, "We're not going to kill you."

Natsu felt something pressed against his forehead followed by the metallic "chk-ack" of a guns hammer.

"But if you don't calm down, I may just have to do that. And I really don't want to ruin what was supposed to be a fun night for you."

"It's standard procedure." Rogue added, "Can't have people ratting us out…at least, those who aren't one of us. Secrecy is paramount in our line of work as I'm sure you can understand. Furthermore, if we wanted you dead, well, we wouldn't be having this conversation now wouldn't we?"

The man had a point, Natsu mused, and after a moment's consideration he released the man he was choking out.

"Sorry." Natsu grunted, the tension yet to leave his voice.

"S'Alright." The man rasped.

Natsu wasn't sure how long Rogue drove the van around but eventually, he came to a stop. In that time, Natsu had tried to listen to any audio cues that he could pick up on to give him an idea of where he was. But, between the sensory deprivation, his own labored breathing, and the Breaking Benjamin songs Sting had playing on the radio; he didn't have the slightest idea as to where he'd been taken. He could barely hear what sound like a large door being opened before closing and then the radio and engine were switched off. The van to the door opened and Natsu was helped to his feet.

"Easy Natsu, we're almost there." Sting assured and Natsu felt the handcuffs be removed.

"Those won't be necessary but keep your hands in front of you, crossed at the wrists. The hood stays on until we reach Fairy Tail." Rogue said.

So he was being taken to Fairy Tail. Question was, where the hell was he? Following Rogue's orders, Natsu did as he was told and was guided along by the four men. Their footsteps echoed off of concrete, producing hollow taps that echoed out around them. Was he in a warehouse or an abandoned factory? He couldn't tell. With the hood still over his head, the effect was rather disorienting. Eventually his feet produced the metallic twang of metal and he was held to a stop.

"We're here." Sting said and pulled what sounded like a cage door closed.

There was a jerk of motion, the hum of a motor, and Natsu felt his stomach go into his feet. They were going down. That meant he was now in an elevator of some sort. He couldn't tell how far they had descended but they must have reached a certain point because the hood was removed from his head.

It took Natsu a minute to realize he was standing in the middle of a large freight elevator, the only light provided by a dull overhead light.

"You guys really like to keep it conspicuous don't you?" Natsu said.

"If people knew where to find us, we'd have one too many problems on our hands now wouldn't we?" Sting said as he removed a pack of cigarettes from his pocket. He took a cancer stick, lit it and offered it Natsu.

"No thanks." Natsu smiled tightly, "Those things will kill you."

"So will this." Sting grinned as he tapped his gun while Rogue took the offered cigarette instead.

"This whole line of work involves us walking on borrowed time. I'm sure shaving off a few seconds won't matter." Sting added.

The hum of the elevators motor soon became drowned out by the steady beat and hum and music. It was loud enough that if Natsu focused his hearing, he could make out the lyrics of July Talk's _Push + Pull._

 _Darkness comes, you've gotta pay your dues  
Darkness falls, wants you to over-use  
You're born to live but now you live to lose  
You don't wanna wait_

"I fucking love this song." Sting said, tapping his foot to the beat with a pleased smile, "You ready?"

 _I don't wanna wait  
We're used to the night that leaves us unstable  
We're used to the night we take more than we're able  
We're used to the night and whatever's on the table  
You don't wanna wait_

"After going through all this trouble, I think it's safe to say that I am." Natsu said wryly.

"And I'm still holding you to what you said earlier."

"You're in for a real treat then." Sting grinned.

"I can hardly wait." Natsu replied.

 _I don't wanna wait  
Take, take anything  
I don't wanna wait  
Take, take anything  
You know that I'd take  
Take, take anything  
I don't wanna wait_

The freight elevator came to a stop before two stainless steel doors. Heavy locks unlatched from inside the doors and they parted, revealing an unexpected setting. Marble floors and pristine walls lit by blue incandescent lighting. It was a long hallway that ended with another set of heavy doors while what looked to be a security checkpoint was stationed in front of it.

 _I like the night (don't have to hear you when you speak)  
And I like the night (somebody's got to find what you seek)  
Oh, I like the night (all alone, where is it you've been?)  
You don't wanna wait_

The music was louder here to the point Natsu could feel the hum of the music vibrate in the floor. Sting ushered him forward and together they walked to the checkpoint. Natsu's attention was immediately drawn to a tall, burly man with white hair, a scarred face, and wore a black muscle shirt and cargo pants. His hands were wrapped in black and purple bandages. A name was stitched into his shirt: E. STRUASS.

"Sting, Rogue." The man greeted, his voice a deep timbre, while the other guards beside him drew their guns and a metal detector baton upon noticing Natsu.

"Elfman." Rogue nodded his head.

"Evening Elfman. I think Evergreen is part of tonight's act; you going to see her?" Sting shook the man's hand.

"She'd kill me if I missed her. Luckily for me, my shift ends in a bit. This the guy you were talking about Sting?" Elfman pointed to Natsu, who had to double blink at the sight of the man's muscles flexing with the movement. If Elfman was showing off, he didn't show it, but Natsu had a feeling that one punch from the man could shatter bone.

"Damn straight. This is Natsu and he's my guest for the night. Promised him a good time for saving my ass the other day."

"So I see; check him." Elfman crossed his arms and two guards stepped beside Natsu. One waved the detector baton over his body while the other patted him down. Natsu kept his cool and held his gaze with Elfman's.

"He's clean." The one guard said and Elfman smirked.

"Just so we're clear, we have rules here. If you cause trouble we'll haul your ass out of here and kick you to the curb. You can get close to the girls…or guys if that's what you prefer, but unless they give you their consent or invitation to a room or lower level; hands off. If you want to see a show, you'll have to wait like everyone else. Cause too much trouble and we'll just shoot you and leave your body to rot in the river. Are we clear?"

"Crystal." Natsu replied.

"Then welcome to Fairy Tail." Elfman said and walked over to the doors and pushed them open.

It was then that Natsu found himself stepping into a whole new world. One that he knew from this point on, would change everything.

 _I don't wanna wait  
Take, take anything  
I don't wanna wait  
Take, take anything  
You know that I'd take  
Take, take anything  
I'm used to the night_

XXXX

A/N: And there you go for this chapter ladies and gents. We were introduced to Natsu's backstory and a plethora of new characters as Natsu begins his journey to the dark side of things. Natsu has reached Fairy Tail but what lays in store for him…well, I'm sure he'll be in for quite the shock.

Next chapter will introduce Lucy and Lisanna to you readers who've been looking forward to seeing them…and expect things to enter NSFW territory. This is, after all, an "M" rated story. What that entails, well, you'll have to wait and see. Also, for those of you who like music expect song references for Disturbed, Motley Crue, and Meg Myers in the next chapter.

As I've stated, I am halfway through with writing the newest chapters for my other works and I have an idea as to how I want to update them. The next story I'll update is _Songs From the Sea_ , followed by _Vendetta_ , and then _Between Light and Shadow_. After which I'll come back to this and I'll keep this as my update pattern. I may work on Chapter Three to _Vice_ in between all of these updates, however, so expect an update to this as well.

As per usual, if you guys have any comments or questions, please put it in your review and I'll make sure to respond to you in the next chapter. If you have anything else that you wish to ask me or clarify, you can PM me and I'll do my best to respond ASAP.

Until next time; read, review and most importantly of all, HAPPY READING!


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Hello everyone and welcome back!

I hope you all are doing well and that for those of you who celebrate it, I hope you had a fun (but safe) St. Patrick's Day! I myself had a Guinness or two followed by getting acquainted with Mister John Jameson! To be honest, I didn't drink all that much; I never really do. Besides, had to work. Alcohol and dishwashing equipment don't mix.

But all that aside, I've been working on this story and trying to figure out what kind of trouble Natsu can get into and see at Fairy Tail.

I think I was able to figure something out and I hope you all in enjoy it.

Last time, Natsu began his investigation into the criminal underworld that hides in Magnolia. After tracking down an old contact of his later adoptive father and then saving a member of Fairy Tail, Natsu has been invited to the illusive crime guild. His cover is holding for the time being and he'll need to keep a cool head if he wants to make it out of Fairy Tail alive. That being said, how far will he be willing to go to make sure his identity remains a secret?

 **As I stated at the beginning of this story, but I'll say it again, this is an "M" rated story for mature themes. This chapter will include NSFW content, strong language, drug usage, and violence. Although reader discretion is advised, I trust you all can be mature about this?**

The chapter itself does contain sexual content. Although I've written M rated stories before along with implied sex scenes, I haven't written anything this graphic until this story/chapter. So, I apologize if things them a bit on the awkward side of things. As the story progresses and I write more scenes like the ones in this story, I'm sure I'll find my own groove of writing things out.

As I like to do, before we continue on, here is a shout out to all of you who left a review last time around:

 _ **BlaccDragon25:**_ Hello and welcome to the story! I am very glad to hear that you are enjoying the story so far.

 _ **SulliMike23:**_ Hey dude, how you doing? Always good to see you pop up in the reviews! Yep, Fairy Tail is filled with all manner of the cast we love, some of whom will have prominent roles while others make brief appearances. Let's see who you can catch? As for Lucy and Lisanna, well, read on to find out…

 _ **FreyjaBee:**_ As usual my friend, welcome back! Your input is always appreciated. I like to give shout outs as a way of thanking people for taking time to read my stories; helps me feel connected, in a way, to my readers. I'll keep giving shout outs like this for each chapter…unless I get a crazy ton of reviews that is, then I just list people out. I'm a detail nut, what can I say? I can confirm here and now that Zeref will be a villain for this story and I hope when the time comes, I hope my portrayal of him meets your expectations. Action is the name of the game in this story; can't have a crime story without some good fights in between no can we? Personally, I blame you for getting me hooked on July Talk so expect to see another song of their pop up in this chapter and in future chapters. Hope you enjoy this chapter, can't wait to hear what you have to say about it!

 _ **Roger9481:**_ Hello and welcome back. I'm a detail nut and that's just the way I wanted things to play out. More will be revealed as time goes on so…try to have so faith, I guess.

 _ **ToLegitt2Quit:**_ Hello and welcome back! I like to do shout outs as a way to thank readers for leaving their input; helps me connect with them too, in a way. I'm happy to hear that you enjoyed the story so far and I'm interested as to what you'll think of this one. Unfortunately, I'm not a PC gamer. Xbox is where my heart lies. I have heard of SWTOR and seen gameplay but I don't think I could get into it like I did with the first two Mass Effect games. But, if you'd like, I could try finding you in maybe a web video or something like that? RVB is one my favorite web series, you have no idea. Same goes for RWBY. Pretty much most of the stuff RT does, I enjoy.

 _ **Stargazer:**_ Hell and welcome! I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter. If you're worried about the love triangle I have played out, I think I should explain that no one will be competing for affection or anything like that. Lucy and Lisanna will be for "sharing" if you catch my drift. Either way, I hope that doesn't damper your reading experience and that you enjoy it all the same!

 _ **Snavej:**_ Hell and welcome to the story! I see you caught my references! If you liked Sting in the previous chapter, you should enjoy him in this.

 _ **DragneelHarem:**_ Hello and welcome back dude; glad everything is to your liking!

And so, without further ado, let's continue our story!

XXXX

CHAPTER 3

XXXX

" _Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial…"_

-James 1:12

XXXX

 _ **Fairy Tail, Location Unknown…**_

 _ **9:30 PM…**_

 _It's push and pull (girl on the side)  
It's push and pull (and you make it through the night)  
It's push and pull (I'm used to the night)  
It's push and pull (but you make it through alive)  
It's push and pull, push and pull_

The music thrummed in his ears and his blood pulsed in his veins. The base and beat made the floor and air hum around him. Laughter and voices mixed around him while his nose was assaulted by a barrage of scents. The lighting reminded Natsu of a few underground clubs he'd raided in the past; dark and pulsating.

It was cacophony that bordered on sensory overload and Natsu felt momentarily paralyzed by the abruptness of it all. At least until Sting slung his arm around his shoulders, an amused grin on his lips.

"So?" Sting drawled over the music, "What do you think?"

"Color me impressed." Natsu admonished.

It was an impressive sight to behold. The space was surprisingly open, with high walls of concrete and metal support beams and struts. Natsu was reminded of the inside of a warehouse or storage facility; perhaps that's what this place had been at one time. But even with its impressive size, the place seemed to be packed with people.

The main area to Fairy Tail seemed to be divided into three tiers, each segmented by stairs from one another. The first tier held the entrance with two "U" shaped, fully stocked bars that were set up against the walls and ran along the edge of the upper tier. Tables, raised platforms, and cages to hold dancers were evenly set about the space.

The second tier held more platforms along with secluded booths that faced the third tier which was the largest part of the space. It too held more booths, a dance floor with music station, and a large stage with two connecting runways. Amongst all the moving bodies and shifting lighting, Natsu could also spot doors and curtained off areas that led to other parts of the guild.

" _How big is this place?"_ Natsu mused.

It truly was an impressive operation and Natsu hadn't been expecting any of it. He figured he'd be brought to some run down, out of the way place or one of the legal clubs used as a front for illicit activities. It just went to show that Richard had been right about the amount of power Fairy Tail held.

"Let's get you settled in, the main event is about to start and I'm sure you won't want to miss it." Sting grinned as he ushered Natsu along.

"Main event?" Natsu asked.

"You'll see." Rogue added. It was then that Natsu noticed that the two other men who'd accompanied Sting and Rogue had vanished, most likely disappearing into the crowd.

A crowd that offered a variety of personalities…amongst other things.

He saw men and women dressed in the finest attire, looking like they were part of the upper class or some nouveau riche families. He saw men and women who looked like the quintessential goths and punks. And then there were people who seemed like anyone else you'd pass on the street. Fairy Tail, it seemed, attracted everyone.

But then there were the dancers and it were these people that caught Natsu's attention…and made him both balk and blush at the same time. On the platforms, men and women in various stages of undress-hell, some of them were stark naked-moved with a fluid elegance that would put even the most professional of dancers to shame. The way their bodies bent, moved, and flexed to the music-to the poles they straddled-could be considered art in some circles.

But these dancers didn't hold a candle to what was happening on the other platforms, and from what Natsu could see, at a few booths. On one platform, a female dancer grabbed a woman from the audience she held, effortlessly pulled her up onto the platform, disrobed said woman with ease and went down on her. At another stage, a foursome seemed to be well underway and the nearby tables actively encouraged it.

At a booth, two men seemed to fucking a woman senseless, while the booth across from them entertained two men who seemed to be equally into each other. The other booths Natsu did pass seemed to be the tamer ones he'd seen…with that being a loose sense of the word. Joints and bongs were smoked, lines of coke were snorted off of tabletops, and pills were popped like they were candy.

It seemed the word "shame" had no meaning here. And if the Federal Police ever raided this place, Natsu thought, they'd have a field day. It was a Narcotics agents dream to raid a place like Fairy Tail.

"It's a lot to take in the first few times you're here." Sting said, having caught Natsu openly staring.

"But you get used to it. Plus, after all the stuff Rogue and I have seen and done, nothing really surprises us anymore."

"Good to know." Natsu said, wincing when he watched a women pull off a move that made his back hurt just thinking about it…never mind that she did so while a male dancer thrust into her with reckless abandon.

"Excuse me." A woman said as she brushed on buy.

Natsu had to do a double take as he watched a woman with short, dark purple hair move to a private booth that was occupied by a man with a scar running down his right eye. She was dressed in dark lingerie-stockings, garter belt with a lace bra and panties to match-along with heels. In her hands she held a platter with a drink, which she delivered to the man…only for the man to pull her down onto his lap.

"Erik!" He heard the woman squeal in amusement, "What are you doing? I'm working!"

The man-Erik-smirked before he kissed the woman; passionately. She made no move to pull away as she reciprocated, wrapping her arms around Erik's wiry frame. A break in the music allowed Natsu to hear the man growl deeply, huskily into the woman's skin as his lips found her neck.

"The old man has had me running shitty jobs all day; I deserve a reward for my hard work." The man growled; his one hand held the woman close while the other moved past the waistband of her panties. The woman let out an amorous moan in response. Natsu looked away so quickly that he swore his neck would have whiplash later.

Sting and Rogue only laughed.

"Don't mind them, that's only Erik and Kinana. They're always getting it on." Rogue said, as if it was the simplest thing in the world.

"Good thing she's not dancing tonight or Erik might have stormed the stage to get to her." Sting added.

"Like you did with Yukino the one time?" Rogue quipped to which Sting shrugged.

"She was wearing only a thong man, _only a thong_ ; how was I supposed to keep my hands to myself!?"

Sting grinned before nudging his friend in the ribs, "Besides, Kagura and Minerva don't mind when you pay extra attention to them."

"What can I say, I know what the ladies like." Rogue smirked.

The two men laughed again while Natsu simply kept his mouth shut. He knew he was out of his league and he did not want to let Sting and Rogue take advantage of that fact.

" _What the hell is wrong with these people?"_ Natsu did add, as an afterthought. Frankly, it was the only rational thought he could muster at that point in time.

Finally the men sat down at a booth that was close to the main stage. Natsu sank into the seat, noting that the leather used seemed to be top of the line, while Sting and Rogue flanked him on both sides. No sooner had they sat down did a woman with light purple hair and glasses appear. She wore only a garter belt and stockings with heels; a tray with two drinks was balanced in her hand.

"Good evening boys, I saw you walk in and got your usual's." She smiled before giggling when she noticed Natsu had kept his eyes averted.

"Who's your friend?"

"Hello Laki." Rogue nodded, "This is the guy who saved Sting the other day so in appreciation, he's his guest for the night."

"Really now?" Laki smirked coquettishly, "Those were some crazy stunts you pulled on the highway the other day mister. That kind of action can make a girl all hot and bothered."

Natsu nearly face planted onto the table then and there when Laki rubbed her thighs together; apparently she _was_ hot and bothered! He simply stammered out a response while the three Fairy's simply laughed at his unease.

"Easy Laki, you're going to make the poor guy faint. Why don't you get him a drink to help calm his nerves." Sting said, patting Natsu on the back.

"That I can do. What's your poison?" Laki said with a wink.

"Uhm...I'll have a beer please. Lager if you have it." Natsu said, taking a few calming breathes, "Biggest glass you've got."

Laki nodded and sashayed out of sight, making her way up to the bar. Natsu ran his hand through his hair before rubbing the back of his neck.

"Do all of the…staff, is that the word, dress like that?" Natsu asked aloud as the music finally died down.

"What? You've never seen a woman topless before?" Sting arched his brow.

"No, I just mean…in general." Natsu panned his hand around, gesturing to the whole of Fairy Tail.

"I forget that you're new here. In case you haven't noticed Natsu, we cater to a special kind of clientele and deal in things that normal society frowns upon. Here, you can do whatever you want-or, whoever you want-whenever you want." Sting grinned.

"We don't expect you to understand." Rogue took a swig of his drink, "All that we ask is that you enjoy yourself…and then keep your mouth shut afterwords."

"I don't think anyone would believe me if I told them otherwise." Natsu said, standing under the guise that he was stretching his back. Now that his was in a booth, he needed to maintain a better awareness of his surroundings…if that was possible. The noise and flashing lights were still playing havoc with his senses.

The booths were starting to fill with patrons and staff alike, all seemingly looking forward to the nights main event, Natsu noted as he flexed his shoulders while casually looking around as he did so. It was only when he looked over to a nearby booth that Natsu froze.

The booth was occupied by the last person he ever thought he'd see in a place like Fairy Tail and it made his blood run cold.

Thom McNamara was one of Magnolia's up and coming prosecutors in the District Attorney's Office; a man known for an adherence to the law and an incorruptible sense of justice. The man's reputation had spread like wildfire thanks to a few high profile cases he had won and there was even talk about him being appointed as Assistant District Attorney. Even in the shifting lighting, Natsu would recognize the man anywhere. He was tall, at least six foot six, with a muscular build that could dominate any court room; he had piercing, ice blue eyes; and his jet black hair was always slicked back and parted down the side.

Natsu had worked a few cases with the man-presenting evidence in court and providing VIP protection-and had developed a sense of respect for him. Of course, McNamara wouldn't have recognized Natsu given the fact that for the times they had met, Natsu had always worn a balaclava and sunglasses. It was standard practice within the special units when meeting people outside their respective agency on official business.

Still, to see Thom McNamara in Fairy Tail of all places was simply an eye opening sight. This was a den for criminals and people of…lesser standards. It also didn't help that Natsu could see that under his nose was a fine white powder; cocaine, obviously. He shifted in his seat and it was then that Natsu finally realized McNamara wasn't alone. Two other men he recognized from the DA's office were with him, knocking back pills and snorting coke off the table…a table, under which, a woman knelt before McNamara; a clerk also from the DA's office.

The woman seemed to be enjoying herself given how her head bobbed back and forth languidly, hands keeping McNamara's unzipped pants spread open, while McNamara himself smiled with glazed eyes. The woman then produced what looked like a small vile of cocaine and then proceeded to…wait, was she actually…off of his…!?

Natsu wanted to gag but found that he was too shocked to do so.

A female server approached the booth, carrying four drinks. She had just finished serving McNamara's companions when the prosecutor pulled the woman into the booth. At first, the server politely rejected McNamara's wandering hands on her back and arm. But McNamara, seemingly unperturbed by the fact that he was still receiving a cocaine laced blow job, persisted in touching the woman while his buddy seemed to take an interest in her. Then the server looked uncomfortable and made to stand but she was pulled back down. It was when McNamara's hands made a slide for the server's panties that she retaliated.

She grabbed McNamara's drink and splashed it across his face, the alcohol soaking his clothes. The woman beneath the table let out an indignant cry while the server stood and shoved McNamara's buddy off of her.

"Don't touch me like that you creep-AGH!" The server cried out, her voice carrying over the music, as McNamara stood and slapped her across the face, knocking her to the floor. Clutching her face, she stood shakily as the prosecutor loomed over her.

Noticing the commotion and where Natsu was staring, Sting and Rogue popped their heads out of the booth and frown when they saw McNamara's free hand snap out, backhanding the server for a second time. Out of the corner of his eyes, Natsu could see Sting and Rogue cock the hammers back on their pistols.

"You're denying me bitch; huh!? Think you're too good for me!?" McNamara slurred, "I'll touch you however I feel like and you're going to take it! I'm a premium member at this fucking shithole and I demand premium service…and you're going to give it to me."

McNamara grabbed the server by her hair and pulled her back towards the booth. The woman cried out, kicking her legs in protest and drawing the attention of other servers and patrons. A few men stood from their seats and made ready to rush to the server's aid.

But Natsu…he stood still, conflicted.

Ordinarily, he'd vault out of the booth and throttle any creep who'd put their hands on a woman like that. But this time was different. He was undercover…in a crime guild…surrounded by men and women who'd kill him the first sign he showed any hint that he was a cop. And even then, if he did act, he'd be assaulting a district attorney; an officer of the court. Someone who carried a lot of power in their field. What would stop the man from trying to find out who he was…and succeeding? The whole operation would be compromised; Natsu would be compromised. And even with all he'd seen here tonight, who'd believe him? An undercover agents words versus that of the DA's star prosecutor? It'd be tad amount to suicide.

But, luckily or unluckily, Natsu found that he didn't have to act.

Before McNamara could go any further, seemingly out of nowhere, Elfman appeared before the man could strike again. He grabbed McNamara by his arm, squeezing it with enough force that he released his hold on the server, who scrambled to the safety of an adjacent booth.

"Let go of me you shit!" McNamara snarled and his fist snapped out, striking Elfman in the chin. Elfman stumbled back, blinking in surprise, and McNamara lashed out again.

Elfman dodged the punch and delivered a cross strike that knocked McNamara senseless and flailing back into his booth. His buddy from before lunged at Elfman but he grabbed the man by the throat, heaved him over his shoulders, and dropped him onto a nearby table. The man cried out as glass shattered and dug into his back. Then, Elfman brought his fist down unto the man's head with enough force that given how his neck bent, Natsu knew Elfman had killed the guy.

McNamara leapt out of the booth, fist cocked back but Elfman was quicker; quicker than Natsu had initially thought. He caught McNamara's arm and twisted it behind his back. Then, without preamble, Elfman snapped McNamara's arm as if it were a twig. McNamara never got a chance to scream, however; not when Elfman subsequently choke slammed him onto the table. The giant of a man then repeatedly slammed the man's head down onto the tabletop without remorse and didn't stop until the troublemaker was a bloody, blubbering mess.

More guards appeared out of the woodwork, pistols drawn. Elfman released McNamara who was promptly hauled off while the body of his buddy was unceremoniously dragged away by the ankles. At gunpoint, McNamara's remaining companions were escorted back to the entrance. From the panicked looks on the others faces and the way they pleaded with the guards, trouble awaited them topside.

A female guard helped the server to her feet and removed her blazer, gently draping it over the server's shoulders. Elfman and the guard talked for a moment before she escorted the server to one of the curtained off doors near the stage.

Elfman for his part simply cracked his neck and took up residence at the now open booth. Two male servers quickly cleared the table and delivered a chilled bottle of wine with two glasses. Natsu vaguely remembered Elfman saying his shift had been close to ending and that he'd be waiting for a woman; the man had impeccable timing it would seem.

"Holy shit." Natsu said, both shocked and horrified at what had just transpired.

"You break the rules around here, you better be prepared to pay the price; doesn't matter who you are." Sting said as the men sat down.

"To put it bluntly, we don't tolerate anyone starting shit around here. The Master and the Madam run a tight ship." Rogue added.

"It's a shame too." Sting added, almost as an afterthought, "Thom was a fun guy. The fact that he was able to hide all of this from his superiors made him a good candidate for Fairy Tail."

"…Who was he?" Natsu asked, doing his best to feign ignorance and hold his composure. It would do him no good if Sting and Rogue saw him freak out and inadvertently tip them off to something.

"That was Thom McNamara. He's supposed to be some hotshot prosecutor for the DA's office." Sting said.

"For a guy who pledged to help rid the city of crime, the man is as crooked as they come. Fuck's his secretary behind her husband's back, steals drugs and drug money from evidence lockers, bribes jurors to get convictions, and he even tipped us off to the cops and feds once or twice."

"As a reward for his services and aid to us," Rogue added, "Fairy Tail gave McNamara and his friends a premium membership here. Think of it as a trial run for our organization. The Master, Madam, and the Lieutenants were considering making him a marked member of Fairy Tail."

"I…I see." Natsu said, just as Laki returned with his beer. He accepted the drink and remembered to keep his eyes averted.

"So…what's going to happen to him now. I mean, he clearly broke the rules there so…?"

Both Sting and Rogue smiled in a sadistic manner. Sting simply tapped his gun, telling Natsu all he needed to know.

"Oh." Natsu said and promptly downed half of his beer in one gulp.

He was sure he'd need more than one drink tonight to forget what he'd just seen and learnt. He was sure he'd need more than one drink to help calm his nerves too. If the point hadn't been hammered home already, it was now. Natsu knew he couldn't risk blowing his cover here, for doing so meant certain death…or worse.

"Ladies and gentlemen," The disc jockey at the music station said into a microphone, "if you would kindly turn your attention to the main stage, our show is about to begin."

Music filled the speakers once more as the lighting around the stage changed, revealing curtains in the back. Stripper poles began to rise from within the stage. A murmur filled the crime guild as people whispered in anticipation.

Then, suddenly, the lights went out and Natsu found that the stage was enveloped in total darkness. He thought he heard the clicking of heels but the acoustics of the building-plus the music from earlier-had thrown off his hearing.

Then, in a flash of light, the stage was relit to reveal that it was now occupied. Dancers, both men and women, had taken spots amongst the stage and runways or leaned against the poles. Music began to play once more, this time Disturbed's cover of Faith No More's _Midlife Crisis._

 _Go on and wring my neck  
Like when a rag gets wet  
A little discipline  
For my pet genius  
My head is like a lettuce  
Go on and dig your thumbs in  
I cannot stop giving  
I'm thirty-something_

First the women began to move, their bodies projecting seductive undertones to the beat. They were followed by the men, who joined them as the song began to pick up in intensity.

 _Sense of security  
Like pockets jingling  
Midlife crisis  
Suck ingenuity  
Down through the family tree_

 _You're perfect, yes, it's true  
But without me you're only you (you're only you)  
Your menstruating heart  
It ain't bleedin' enough for two_

 _It's a midlife crisis  
It's a midlife crisis_

Natsu, for his part, found that he couldn't take his eyes off the stage; the incident with McNamara forgotten for the time being.

While Sting and Rogue seemed to be focused on two dark haired women and a woman with short, light blue hair, Natsu was simply mesmerized by the dance. Although his sense of decency and chivalry told him to look away, his eyes felt like they were glued to the stage and runways. The coordination, the choreography, the way the dancers seemed to just bend and move to the music, it was unlike anything he'd seen before. It was more than just some dance you'd see a strip show. There was a finesse, a quality, which put these dancers a cut above the rest.

The dancers continued to move to the music, alternating between moving in tandem to individual dances, before the song finally came to an end and the next one began; this time Motley Crue's _Girls, Girls, Girls._ It was a fitting song, given the setting. The men took a step back and let the women take the spotlight.

It was at this point, with the lighting a little more direct and with his proximity to the stage, Natsu took notice of two of the dancers. They both danced on a pole, their movements mirroring one another. Like the other women, they were beautiful with soft curves, toned muscle, long legs, and ample breasts. But it was their hair that set them apart.

The one woman had short, white hair the color of freshly fallen snow while the other had long and flowing blonde hair, so rich that it resembled gold. But if he squinted, Natsu could just make out some color in their hair; white and blue, gold and pink.

It hadn't been just their hair, however, that had caught his attention but rather their outfits. Both women were dressed like cat girls.

Funny, he thought that sort of thing was restricted to anime conventions.

The woman with white hair's outfit consisted of cat ears set atop her head, elbow length gloves, a blue and white leopard print bikini top and bottom-a rather small top and bottom-along with black knee high socks and heels. A small tail with a bell had been attacked to her bottom. The blonde woman's outfit was of black and pink lingerie that left little, next to nothing to the imagination. Cat ears were set atop her head, her tail had a bow instead of a bell, and she wore knee high boots over her stockings.

The outfits were designed for maximum seduction and the women were undoubtedly using that little fact to their advantage in pleasing the crowd.

Only when the song neared its end, with Mick Mars entering his guitar solo, did it seem that Natsu and the dancer with white hair locked eyes. After all, Natsu was close enough to the stage. She never broke her pace, never faltered in her routine, but her eyes never left him…and his never left hers. There was a magnetism to her and Natsu knew he'd been hooked.

The woman seemed to have a similar thought as she gave him a sly smirk.

The song reached its climax and the dancers took a stand, bowing deeply to their captive audience. During her bow, the woman gave Natsu a wink which didn't go unnoticed by Sting and Rogue.

"Check it out Rogue," Sting nudged Natsu in the side, "looks like Natsu here has caught Lisanna's eye."

"Lisanna?" Natsu asked.

"Lisanna Strauss." Rogue replied, "She's Mira and Elfman's younger sister."

"Mira?"

"You'll see." Rogue said, knocking back the rest of his drink. If there was one thing Natsu had learned about Rogue it was that he was cryptic.

"And now for the final dance of this nights act," the DJ spoke with a dramatic flair, "ladies and gentleman, you know her, you love her, please welcome the demon with an angel's voice; Mirajane."

One of the dancers stepped forward to take center stage, the lights around the others dimming while a spotlight fixed onto her. She was stunningly beautiful with long and flowing white hair and piercing blue eyes. She smiled a dark, seductive smile; the whites of her teeth contrasting against her black lipstick. She wore a sheer lace corset that barely covered her breasts, a dark purple thong, and lace up heels.

The DJ tossed a mic up to the woman who caught it with ease and once again, music filled the speakers. The male dancers took their spots once more and the crowd began to cheer. Then Mirajane began to sing and Natsu understood why she had been called a demon with an angel's voice.

 _Baby, I'll learn to touch you  
I wanna breathe into your well  
See, I gotta to hunt you  
I gotta to bring you to my hell  
Baby, I wanna fuck you,  
I wanna feel you in my bones  
Boy, I'm gonna love you  
I'm gonna tear into your soul_

Natsu was amazed by the sound of her voice; sensual but feminine, light but captivating, smoky yet firm. It took him a minute to realize she was singing a cover to Meg Myers _Desire._

 _Desire, I'm hungry  
I hope you feed me  
How do you want me, how do you want me?  
How do you want me, how do you want me?  
How do you want me, how do you want me?  
How do you want me, how do you want me?_

Meanwhile the dancers moved to match the sensuality of Mirajane's voice. Natsu's eyes drifted back to Lisanna and her partner, just in time to watch them trace their hands down their bodies, their hips swaying, and feet pivoting them into slow spins. On the turn back, he and Lisanna locked eyes again and the way she was looking at him silently spoke of dark, sensual things…much like the song she danced to.

 _Honey, I wanna break you  
I wanna throw you to the hounds,  
I gotta hurt you, I gotta hear from your mouth  
Boy, I wanna taste you, I wanna skin you with my tongue _

Lisanna slowly licked her lips and smirked, making Natsu double blink in shock and swallow hard.

 _I'm gonna kill you,  
I'm gonna lay you in the ground_

 _Desire, I'm hungry  
I hope you feed me  
How do you want me, how do you want me?  
How do you want me, how do you want me?  
How do you want me, how do you want me?  
How do you want me, how do you want me?_

The tone of the song shifted and the dancers that had partners began to move against one another; Lisanna wrapped her arms around her partner from behind, lightly trailing her fingers over her breasts, neck and stomach while her partner held the hands that touched her. She leaned back, grinding herself against Lisanna. The two women seemed to be enjoying themselves.

 _I wanna feel you, I want it all  
I wanna feel you, I want it all_

Lisanna whispered something to her partner, making her smirk, and she whispered back in return. Natsu could only imagine what they had said. Then, when the song picked up its pace for the finale, the partners separated to match the last leg of their dance to the music.

 _How do you want me, how do you want me?  
How do you want me, how do you want me?  
How do you want me, how do you want me?  
How do you want me, how do you want me? _

The song ended, the lights went out, and the crime guild erupted into applause. Natsu double blinked once more before slowly clapping-noticing that Rogue was doing the same-while Sting let out an animated whoop. When the lights returned to their original dim, the dancers till remained on stage and took a collective bow.

"So, what'd you think?" Sting asked.

"Huh?" Natsu asked.

"The show; did you enjoy it?" Sting pressed with his trademark grin, "C'mon man be honest; you were totally into it. Hell, you even got Lisanna's attention."

"It was…interesting." Natsu replied, "I can't say I've ever seen anything quite like it."

"Interesting? Interesting!?" Sting gawked, "Rogue, can you believe this guy!? Some of the hottest women in the world just danced in front of us and you call it interesting!?"

"Easy now Sting, he's all new to this remember? I'm sure he'll need time to adjust and develop his tastes." Rogue countered.

"Interesting…" Sting shook his head with a playful scoff, "man, keep talking like that and folks around here will start thinking you're a prude."

Natsu rolled his eyes, "Sticks and stones Sting, sticks and stones."

He took a drink from his glass but frowned when he saw that it was empty. Poking his head out of the booth, he spotted Laki…but thought better of calling her over when he realized she was "entertaining" someone.

"You want another drink?" Sting asked to which Natsu nodded. He jerked his thumb over his shoulder to the bar.

"Head on up to the bar and help yourself. Tell the bartender to put it on my tab, I'm good for it. Rogue and I are going to hang out here for a bit so feel free to take a look around if you want. You know, have a good time and all that."

"If at any point you wish to leave, head back to where we came in. There's always someone on duty so they'll get you to wherever it is you need to go. If they feel like you're too drunk, you'll have to stay here for the night. Either way, remember that you have a vow of silence to uphold. Failure to do so…" Rogue added, while his hand gestured to his gun.

"I understand." Natsu said, lips drawing into a thin line as he stood and left the booth. A few of the dancers had left the stage and either disappeared behind the curtains or through doors, or had made their way into the audience, taking their spots at booths, tables, or platforms.

" _I understand all too well."_ He added as an afterthought, thinking back to McNamara. With that in mind, Natsu made his way through the mingling bodies and headed back up to the first tier.

XXXX

Lisanna Strauss leaned against the small vanity in the dressing room behind the stage, biting her thumb in thought.

"You did great tonight," Her partner, Lucy Heartfilia said from her spot before the vanity, "I think it's safe to say we had them eating out of the palm of our hands."

When Lisanna didn't respond, the golden blonde glanced up from reapplying her makeup, her brow quirked slightly.

"Lis'? You alright?" Lucy asked. Lisanna blinked before sighing softly before smiling.

"Yes, sorry about that. I was just thinking that's all." She replied.

"About what?" Lucy queried.

Lisanna twirled a strand of hair around her finger, "It's not so much what, but who. I saw a new face in the audience tonight…I couldn't take my eyes off of him."

" _Him_?" Lucy smirked, "I thought I caught you staring at someone. A new face you say?"

"Yeah, he was with Sting and Rogue so I'm thinking he's the guy who saved Sting the other day."

"Really now." Lucy said as she stood from the vanity, tossing her hair over her shoulder.

"From the way Sting was talking yesterday, he made this guy sound like a complete badass. Tell me, does he live up to the image?"

Lisanna shrugged but her smile turned sly, "I don't know. He didn't look all that imposing…however, he is cute."

"Oh really?" Lucy asked, leaning up against the vanity so that she and Lisanna were shoulder to shoulder.

"How cute?"

"…Cute enough that I feel like giving him a more thorough tour of what we offer hear. He did save Sting after all." Lisanna said while absentmindedly playing with a lock of Lucy's hair.

"Are you sure that's the reason?" Lucy smirked, a knowing look in her eyes.

"Maybe." Lisanna teased, earning a chuckle from Lucy. Lucy then leaned in and gave Lisanna a quick peck on the cheek.

"Have fun…but go easy on him." She said before sashaying over to her personal wardrobe.

"And where is it you're going?" Lisanna asked.

"To see Madam Porlyusica. A job came up that she wants to discuss so odds are it's going to be early to rise for me."

"Any idea who it might be for?" Lisanna asked.

"A jobs a job. We get paid to not ask too many questions, remember?" Lucy quipped with a teasing smile and shrug.

She then began to change, not ashamed to be stripping down in front of Lisanna. It wouldn't be the first time Lisanna had seen her sans clothing.

Lisanna unabashedly admired her partner. Her skin had a healthy warm glow to it and was creamy smooth to the touch. The low lighting of the dressing room caused shadows to form to her toned muscle, making her all the more alluring. Her golden blonde locks cascaded down her back and shoulders, the color emphasizing the pink highlights she had added, much like Lisanna's own blue highlights. Her breasts were ample and full, Lisanna's fingers twitching at the memory of the times she had molded them to the supple flesh. But what Lisanna had found to be the most captivating about her partner were her eyes.

They were a warm chocolate brown that could convey the deepest love, the warmest compassion, steely determination, and fierce anger. Lucy expressed her emotions through her eyes and Lisanna had always been mesmerized by them.

She blinked as Lucy pulled on a pair of skinny jeans and a crop top, the clothes complimenting her figure. Her partner had certainly come a long way since she first joined Fairy Tail; a scared and shy young girl with no home to call her own.

She had been a runaway when Lisanna had first met her, back when they were fourteen. She had been running an errand when she saved Lucy from being forced against a wall by local pimp. A sharp kick between the legs had left the man cursing on the sidewalk. One look at Lucy-one look into those wide, doe like eyes-had told her that she hadn't been on the street all that long. Lisanna couldn't stand the thought of her being out on the street when she was such an open target and had brought her back with her to Fairy Tail. When the pimp came after them, Elfman had dealt with the man…and the pimp was never heard from again.

Both women had come to see Fairy Tail as a family. A very dysfunctional family, but a family all the same. Given the lives they had come from before Fairy Tail, it was better than the alternative.

The two had become fast friends; the best of friends in all honesty. But even then, they shared a bond they liked to think of as…unique. On one hand, they had spent their time like any other teenage girls growing up. Shopping when they had the money and time to, honing their skills for the darker work they undertook, late night talks, and sleepovers with their other friends.

On the other hand…as they had matured, their late night talks would end with either her or Lucy spending the night in each other's bed. Sometimes they'd kiss. Sometimes they'd shower together and hold each other as the blood ran off their bodies after a particularly messy job. It had only been after they'd turned eighteen that they had begun to explore more carnal and sensual delights; sometimes fucking one another until sunrise. They'd had boyfriends in the past, but there had been times where some of those men had left much to be desired and they'd go for a good roll in the hay, just for the fun of it.

Did she love Lucy? In a sense, she did…but only in the way that two close friends could. They were friends, sometimes with benefits, but not lovers. As much as she enjoyed sharing a bed with Lucy, the two had long ago established that any intimacy between them was for fun or comfort. It had been months since their last romp in the sack; in that time they'd taken more than one man to bed with them.

But as much as the two enjoyed their strange no strings attached friendship, that didn't mean they didn't care for one another. And if that care was expressed through an intimate touch or sensual kiss, then so be it. They knew each other well enough to know what meant what by this point.

"Questions or not, be careful. I don't want to have to explain to Cana why her favorite drinking buddy and pillow didn't come home in one piece." Lisanna replied, snapping herself out of her musings.

"And run the risk of pissing her off, no thank you. You don't have to tell me twice." Lucy said as she fixed her hair in the mirror.

"Maybe I do have to tell you twice. The last job you took, you nearly ended up with a switchblade in your neck." Lisanna sighed as she leaned against her own dresser.

"And I promptly introduced that guy to Mister Smith and Mister Wesson. And you know Loke and Capricorn had my back." Lucy smirked in her reflection.

"Personally I was just happy to be rid of the guy and deliver the goods to Blue Pegasus. Because of that job, they now owe us."

"I just worry…you know that." Lisanna offered a small shrug. She honestly couldn't be faulted and Lucy knew that.

"I do know that." Lucy smiled and turned around, studying Lisanna for a minute.

"What?" Lisanna asked.

"…I've got some time before I have to meet with the Madam. Tell me, how much do you want to 'wow' this mystery cutie you were talking about?"

Lisanna gave the question some thought before she smiled a smile that promised nothing but sensual things. Lucy noted that her eyes had a telltale glint to them, prompting her to smirk in kind.

"I don't think the cat girl look is going to do it then. Let me see what you have and I'll pick something out for you."

Lisanna stepped back and stripped out of her outfit while Lucy perused the dresser. After a few minutes, she pulled out an outfit to her liking. It was a blue and black ensemble, a mixture of sheer lace and the softest silk. The bra was strapless, thus exposing the slender expanse of her shoulders while giving the twins the right amount of "oomph". Same went for the cheeky thong that she slipped on over the thin garter belt and stockings; the garment combined with her heels put extra emphasis on her toned calves and shapely rear. Taking a look at herself in the mirror, Lisanna smiled; she looked both sexy and alluring and she knew it.

"One last thing." Lucy said, producing some makeup from the vanity. A little shadow pronounced the aquamarine of her eyes and the deep, warm plum lipstick made it all come together.

"You never fail to please. Thanks." Lisanna smiled, after taking one final, cursory look in the mirror.

"For what?" Lucy asked.

"For just being you." Lisanna replied, and leaned in to press her lips to Lucy's; her full lips melding to her own.

Lisanna sighed into the kiss and ran her fingers up Lucy's sides, making her partner smirk into the kiss while she held Lisanna's hips. They stood like that for a minute, taking their time with their lip lock. When they eventually parted, Lisanna and Lucy rested their foreheads against one another.

"Just be careful…alright?" Lisanna said softly.

"Always." Lucy replied, gently tracing the line of Lisanna's jaw. She gave a quick wave as she left, making her way out of the dressing room, and heading for Porlyusica's office which was deeper in the complex.

Lisanna watched the retreating form of her partner for a moment longer before sighing softly and making her way back out to the guild, her sly smile returning. She had a mysterious newcomer to find.

The music was still thrumming and making the air crackle with energy. People still moved and danced, still fucked on the platforms and in the booths, and did other illicit things that she had become desensitized to. And so she paid it all no mind as she moved and weaved her way through the crowd until she came to a stop at Sting and Rogue's booth. Her mystery cutie, however, was nowhere to be seen.

Sting and Rogue weren't alone in their booth despite their absent guest. Kagura, Minerva, and Yukino had joined their men shortly after the dance ended and it seemed the two men had been all too eager to congratulate the women on another stellar performance.

Sting was deeply kissing Yukino and even in the low lighting, Lisanna could see the blush staining her cheeks. Her arms were behind her back, undoubtedly bound by Sting's tie. His one hand cupped the back of her head while his other had slid underneath her panties, eliciting deep, muffled moans from the woman. Minerva's lips trailed up and down Yukino's neck and collar bone, nibbling and leaving love bites in their wake. Occasionaly she would bite Yukino's earlobe or whisper heatedly in her ear. Her one hand fondled Yukino's breasts while the other had joined Sting's, causing Yukino to buck her hips into their touches.

Kagura's attention was devoted to Rogue and the two were equally into one another. Their lips and tongues met in a sensual, languid dance while Rogue's hands wound through Kagura's hair or ran up and down the length of her spine. Kagura's hands had unbuttoned Rogue's vest and shirt and were busy exploring the hardened muscle underneath, all while the two slowly ground their hips together.

"Hey boys," Lisanna greeted, her voice chipper, "mind if I cut in for a minute?"

Sting opened his one eye, arched a brow, and smiled when he pulled away. Yukino hadn't even caught her breath before Minerva claimed her lips. Rogue simply gave her a short wave.

"Hey Lis'!" Sting grinned, "You and Lucy did great tonight, same for the other girls. What's up?"

"I couldn't help but notice you'd brought a new face to the guild tonight. He wouldn't happen to be the guy who saved you, would he?"

"His name's Natsu." Sting replied, "And yeah, he's the guy that saved my ass. Thought I'd bring him here as my token of appreciation."

"Natsu…" Lisanna said, liking the way his name rolled off her tongue, "Tell me, is he having fun?"

"He's acting like a blushing virgin on prom night." Sting sniggered, "Wide eyed, being all respectful to the ladies; you know, how guys greener than grass act when they first come here."

It was then that Sting seemed to take notice of her new appearance and a knowing, wicked smile came to his lips.

"Although," he said, "I'm sure he could be having a lot more fun. I told him I'd give him a full tour of the guild but as you can see, I'm a little… _occupied_ at the moment."

"Which you'll be the rest of the night." Minerva cut in making Sting and Lisanna chuckle.

"Seeing as how I'll be here, why don't you show him around? I'm sure the two of you can have plenty of fun together."

"That was the idea." Lisanna replied.

"He's at the bar, tell him you're going to step in for me." Sting said while Rogue simply pointed to the upper tier for emphasis.

"I'll do that. Thanks Sting; catch you guys later." Lisanna said, leaving the group to their own devices.

They had a unique relationship, those five, Lisanna mused. Sting and Yukino were in a committed relationship but both were open to Minerva joining in. Same went for Rogue and Kagura. She had asked Minerva about the arrangement once and the woman had simply told her, 'Fun is fun.' The small blush she had sported told Lisanna there was more to it than that.

They actually reminded her of Mirajane's relationship with Laxus and Cana. Sure the three of them would go at it like rabbit's whenever the opportunity presented itself, but Lisanna knew those three cared for one another more than they let on. But she'd never tease or pry Mira about it though; the woman hadn't earned the moniker "Demon" for nothing. Knowing her sister, she was more than likely with Laxus and Cana and would be with them until tomorrow morning.

As she made her way up the steps, she passed Elfman and Evergreen. The two were in their booth, sharing a bottle of wine, and talking lowly to one another. They had one of the more normal relationships within the guild despite the bickering feuds they could get into. Evergreen smiled at her as she passed, Elfman took one glance at her and gave her a look that said 'Be careful', and Lisanna replied with a wink and nod of her own.

Soon enough, she had reached the first tier and was scanning the bar for her quarry. She found him at the bar on the left, sitting near the center and nursing what looked like his third drink. _Friction_ by Imagine Dragons began playing over the speakers and Lisanna felt her blood tingle in the best sort of way.

This was going to be fun.

She sashayed her way over to Natsu before lightly tracing her finger down his back, making him flinch and look over his shoulder. He double blinked and she knew that he recognized her.

Her smile was as sweet as it was sultry, "Hey handsome, is this seat taken?"

Natsu looked to the vacant seat next to him and shook his head. Lisanna sat down next to the pink haired man with a grace that was all her own and the bartender was quick in bringing her a martini.

"I'm familiar with most of the faces around here. Yours is not one of them." Lisanna said as she took a sip of her martini; the vodka was strong and stirred just the way she liked it.

"First time here." Natsu said as he took a hearty drink. It seemed he had switched from lager to rum and cola.

"So I've been told." Lisanna smiled and extended her hand, "I'm Lisanna. Lisanna Strauss."

"So you're more than a first name." Natsu smirked and shook her hand, "Sting pointed you out during the dance…apparently I had your attention?"

"That you did." Lisanna replied coyly. There was no point in denying it, "Just as I'm sure that you're more than just Natsu."

"Let me guess; Sting?" Natsu stated more than asked to which Lisanna inclined her head. He took a sip of his drink.

"…Dragneel." He replied, "Natsu Dragneel at your service. May I ask as to why I caught your attention, out of everyone else in the crowd?"

"Dragneel." Lisanna said, also liking the way his last name sounded. She tittered and took a sip of her own drink.

"Well, Mister Dragneel-"

"Natsu…I prefer it that way." Natsu quickly corrected, making Lisanna titter again.

"Very well, Natsu. As I said before; I know most of the faces in this guild. You on the other hand are new. It's not very often that we get new blood around here. Plus…you're not bad on the eyes either."

Natsu's cheeks flushed red and he took a mighty swig of his drink, earning a laugh from Lisanna. Oh, she had him now.

"Don't be embarrassed, it's a compliment." Lisanna giggled, "Actually, I'd even go so far as to say that you're cute when you blush."

"I'm not cute." Natsu grumbled, "And now you're just teasing me."

"Maybe…maybe not. Either way Natsu, you have my attention and I intend on giving it to you."

Natsu held her gaze for a minute, silently gauging her; his eyes taking on a measured hardness to them. There was something about him, behind those eyes that made her interest in the man pique further.

"How so?" Natsu asked, stirring the ice around in his drink.

"…Tell me, Natsu, why are you sitting here alone, at the bar, when you could be perusing the various…wonders we have to offer here at our fine establishment? Since you are a newcomer to our guild, aren't you the least bit curious?"

Natsu frowned and looked away from Lisanna for a moment, an uncomfortable frown on his face.

"I saw a guy," Natsu said, measuring his words, "get killed by your brother. And then I watched him fuck up another guy who tried to force himself on one of the servers."

Ah, he must be talking about the asshole who slapped Miranda around before the dance started. She had heard that there was a ruckus out in the audience before seeing Miranda being ushered back stage by Chloe to the infirmary. Odds were that, at this moment, Chloe was beating the shit out of the man who had harmed her girlfriend before she would inevitably empty her gun into the poor sod.

She didn't pity the man. He was just another body for the river to claim.

But, clearly, Natsu was bothered by what he had seen so she didn't voice her thoughts. Instead, she offered…

"My brother was merely doing his job, Natsu. He doesn't enjoy taking life but he'll do what's necessary _when_ it's necessary." Lisanna said, her voice soft as the music died down.

Natsu frowned and shrugged his shoulders, "Still doesn't make it any less right."

Lisanna sighed softly and shook her head, "This isn't the world above Natsu. We play by our own rules here. If it's bothering you that much…why don't I help you take your mind of it?"

"…How?" Natsu asked, his eyes finding Lisanna's.

"Sting is occupied at the moment and he asked me to show you around. You know; ensure that you have a good time."

"…What kind of a good time are we talking about?" Natsu asked.

Lisanna's smirk was seductive as she leaned in and whispered, "Follow me."

She took his hand and after a moments pause, Natsu let Lisanna guide him away from the bar. Down to the second tier they went and after making their way past he booths, groups, and writhing bodies, Lisanna led Natsu through one of the velvet curtains.

XXXX

Her hand was warm and soft to the touch, Natsu mused, noting the fact that Lisanna's hand hadn't left his. Which was fine by him, seeing as how: A) as much of a gentleman as he was, who was he to turn down a beautiful woman? And B) her showing him around would help him out with his mission. He wasn't going to let the opportunity to recon Fairy Tail pass him by.

However, as much as he tried to keep his eyes from lingering, he did acknowledge that Lisanna was very beautiful. She had looked beautiful up on the stage-moving to the music-but here with her so close, she seemed almost…unearthly in her beauty, as cliché as it sounded.

The wide hallway was filled with the dull hum of the fluorescent lights, thus showing off the colors of her lingerie, the highlights in her hair, and the sway of her hips.

Hell, even the music had changed. The sounds in the main area had become dulled by the concrete walls while hidden speakers played smooth jazz. Lisanna hummed softly, enjoying the tune that was being played.

But with the transition in areas, Natsu also saw that the security seemed to have increased. At the end of the hall was a heavy locked door with a domed security camera set above it; covering the entire hallway. Lisanna looked up to the camera, smiled with a wave, and the triple lock on the door audibly disengaged.

It was opened by a man wearing a black suit…and brandishing an MP5 submachine gun. On the ceiling, Natsu saw a PTZ camera slowly panning back and forth, scanning the hallway. Down the hallway, he could see two more PTZ camera's and another guard at the very end; this one also brandishing an MP5.

Yep, the security definitely seemed to have stepped up its game in this part of the guild. Seeing the sub-guns made Natsu wish he had his service pistol on him, his own brand of firepower; a 10mm Glock 20. He resisted the urge to flex his fingers and reach for his thigh and hip as if her were ready to draw from a holster. Such a move, he knew, would prompt the guards to splatter him all over the wall.

The guard simply gave Lisanna nod, Natsu a cold hard stare, and stepped out of their way.

"He seems friendly." Natsu said under his breath.

"This is where our more elite clientele come to have a good time so security is tighter here. I wouldn't recommend pissing the guards off too. I watched _him_ empty the entire mag of that gun of his into a client who over stepped our rules."

Natsu looked back to the guard and made a mental note to be further on his guard. An MP5 at close range was something he'd rather not experience.

The new area they had entered was well lit like the hall they had just came in from, only the walls on both sides were lined with colored doors, rooms that were most likely repurposed storage rooms of some kind. Each door had an electronic lock over the handle with some of the locks glowing green while others glowed red.

"Green for in use, red for unoccupied." Lisanna answered, as if sensing the question on his tongue.

"So I _hear_." Natsu said, his ears now picking up on the muffled moans and other sounds of debauchery that echoed out from behind the occupied rooms. The sound proofing was good but not good enough to contain some people it seemed.

"Your eyes are as wide as an owl's." Lisanna said with a giggle, "Is this really all that surprising to you?"

"I don't exactly spend my free time in places like this." Natsu quipped.

Lisanna simply smirked, "Maybe that'll change after tonight."

Natsu didn't miss the gleam in her eyes or the heavy suggestion in her words. He swallowed hard in response, feeling his heartbeat rise and his neck warm.

"Maybe…" Natsu said, mimicking Lisanna's earlier response, "maybe not."

"Challenge accepted." She said in turn, her smirk never leaving her.

They reached the end of the hall where the other guard stood before another heavy door. The guard drew a key card from his pocket and inserted it into the lock. The door opened silently and the guard ushered the two through.

They entered another hall, only the lighting was darker and more subdued; smooth jazz still softly filling the air. The doors had been replaced by curtains, some closed off with placards that said: OCCUPIED. Here, however, there was no sound proofing to hide the sounds that drifted from out of the rooms.

"And…uhm…what exactly goes on here?" Natsu asked, giving his neck and awkward rub.

Lisanna walked over to one of the rooms, peeked in through the curtains, and gestured him over.

Sighing heavily, Natsu tried to mentally prepare himself for what he was about to see. Pulling the curtain aside, just slightly, Natsu peered in to see that the room was occupied by a men and women who sat in cushioned seats. A large pane of tinted glass separated them from the other half of the room and Natsu quickly realized he was looking at a one way mirror. On the other side, a woman lay on a plastic covered bed while another woman slid and moved her body atop her. Their skin was slick and gleamed with oil.

It was an erotic massage, a nuru massage, Natsu quickly realized.

Lisanna pulled him to another room and he was met with a similar set up. Only behind the one way glass, this time Natsu was treated to the sight of a man suspended from the ceiling and his feet just barely touching the floor. His head was wrapped in a BDSM mask, his mouth gagged, and he bore all to see. A woman dressed as a quintessential dominatrix struck the man with a whip and riding crop. They seemed to have been going for a while, as the man was covered in a fine sheen of sweat. He was obviously enjoying himself.

Natsu knew that he was going to have a hard time forgetting all of this. Seriously, he could've gone his whole life without seeing the kinks people enjoyed.

Lisanna once again brought him to what he hoped to be a third and the final room. On the other side of the mirror, was a large four poster bed that was occupied by a woman with long, scarlet red hair and a man with short blue hair; both sporting tattoos across their backs. Their clothes lay haphazardly tossed about their side of the room; business attire and a slutty maid's outfit.

The woman's hands were tied behind her back, a blindfold covered her eyes, and her teeth clenched down on the gag in her mouth; she seemed to be bound and gagged with her own stockings. The woman straddled the man, her body rocking to the heavy thrusts of the man's hips, head tossed back while her muffled moans filled the room. The man's one hand held her hips while his other kneaded and teased her left breast. Then, suddenly, the man flipped the woman onto her back then onto her front and took her from behind. The woman's moans deepened and Natsu swore she was smiling against her gag.

Natsu blinked one, two, three times and finally turned away from the scene.

"You're blushing again." Lisanna smirked.

Natsu noted her own cheeks had a distinct pink tint to them but he was pretty sure it was from enjoying the show rather than feeling embarrassed by it.

"Can you blame me?" Natsu rubbed the back of his neck again.

A cry of ecstasy sounded from the room, indicating that the woman's gag had been removed, and was followed by a series of elated explicatives.

"Wow, Erza let Jellal take the reign's this time. It's rare for her to do that; she prefers to be the one in control." Lisanna mused, almost nonchalantly.

"People actually enjoy watching all this?" Natsu asked.

"Why not? You've watched porn right?" Lisanna cocked her head slightly.

"What!? I mean…yeah, I have, but that's completely different from this!" Natsu sputtered.

"Is it?" Lisanna asked, "When you think about it, the same principle applies."

Natsu flushed in response and scowled slightly, knowing his morals were conflicting with whatever logic these people had.

"If you think that was crazy, you should see Juvia and Frost when they really get into it." Lisa smirked while Natsu rolled his eyes. He didn't want to know; he really didn't want to know.

"So, what, these people are exhibitionists?" He instead asked.

"Some are, some aren't. Our members really aren't that picky as to who's on the other side of the glass. Some enjoy knowing they're being watched while others just like being with their partner. Either way, all involved get satisfaction out of it."

Natsu watched as people began to leave the rooms, talking to their compatriots about what they considered to be the highlights of each "act." Seeing the curious look in Natsu's eyes, Lisanna spoke up for him.

"It isn't just fucking like rabbits in heat that goes on back here. Some of our members offer an act-a show-for the viewers. It's all a preamble for what's to come. For some it's a tango that turns especially passionate, for others, like Jellal and Erza, it's a domineering master and submissive maid."

"I think I get the idea." Natsu said, eyeing the people that passed him by and seeing if he could recognize anyone else. If McNamara had been here, who else could possibly skulking down here? Natsu silently thanked whatever god was listening that he didn't see anyone else he knew from his work. He did, however, spot one or two prominent doctors and possibly a city councilman.

"How many rooms are there like these?" Natsu asked.

"There are more on the opposite side of the main area and some on the lower levels. However, those rooms are reserved for the more…advanced offerings we have. Unfortunately, I can't show you those rooms. Well, not yet at least." Lisanna replied.

"But there's more to this place then just havens for sin. We have rooms for different purposes that suit the needs and demands of the guild. We are, after all, a business."

Natsu bit back the snide comment he had on the legitimacy of that claim.

"So…" he said instead, "you've shown me what you're allowed to show me. What happens now?"

Lisanna tapped her chin in thought before giving him a look that he couldn't quite place.

"I promised you a good time, didn't I?" She asked to which Natsu nodded.

"Well, I intend to keep it. C'mon…I think I know something we can do." She smiled softly, taking Natsu's hand once more.

She led him back the way they'd came and when the door opened, she whispered something to the guard. The guard nodded and as they passed, Natsu heard him mutter into his lapel mic: "L. Strauss, room twenty; two and three."

"Two and three?" Natsu asked, keeping his voice low.

"Caught that I see." Lisanna said, "You'll see."

Lisanna led Natsu to a yellow colored door and the guard inserted another key card, opening it. Before Lisanna could pull him in, the guard grabbed Natsu firmly by the arm.

"Try anything funny and I'm kicking in that door." The guard said, flicking the safety of his MP5 to fully automatic.

"Understood." Natsu said and the moment the guard let him go, Lisanna pulled him. The door closed and locked behind him.

The room was surprisingly spacious, comfortable, and warm. Light was provided by recessed lights in the ceiling and four half-moon lamps mounted onto the walls; filling the room with subdued, purple lighting.

Set above the door was a lone WDS Camera. Natsu didn't like the idea that he was being watched.

Ornate wooden furniture was spaced evenly throughout the room and a gleaming mirror was set over the small dresser nearby. A table with two chairs was off to his right and set atop it was a wine bottle and two glasses. A soft throw rug was set at the center of the room. But what really took notice, framed by two bedside tables with a small clock on both, was the king sized bed set against the back wall. A charcoal black comforter was pulled back to reveal the white and red sheets that adorned the bed.

Walking past Lisanna, Natsu traced his hands along the fabric; it was either silk or fine cotton. And the mattress felt like memory foam or something of the sort.

Having taken in his surroundings, Natsu didn't have to think about why Lisanna had brought him in here.

"So…" He said, rubbing the back of his neck. He clearly had shown that he had a nervous tick.

"Yes?" Lisanna asked coyly, hands behind her back.

"Uhm…well…" Natsu said, not really sure what to say next.

It had been a while since the last time he'd been intimate with someone as life as a federal agent left little to no time for relationships. The last time he was with someone, it had been back when he was at the police academy; he'd hooked up with one of the female trainees a few times in the locker room showers. He could still remember the feel of her wet, soapy skin gliding beneath his fingers; the feel of the hot water as their bodies trembled in delight.

The memories did nothing to help his current situation and he fought to keep his heart rate down and his blood from flowing…elsewhere.

Music filled the room, this time from visible speakers; more soft jazz. Lisanna's hand on his cheek snapped him out of his musings and she gently stroked his scar with her thumb.

"You're nervous." She whispered, "Relax."

"I'm not sure I can." He replied. Lisanna smiled softly and wrapped her arms around his neck. Hesitantly, Natsu held her hips.

"Dance with me." Lisanna said as she began to sway to the music. Natsu followed in kind and together, they slowly danced to the relaxing melody of the saxophone. Lisanna then moved her hand over Natsu's heart while her other lingered, playing with the hair at the base of his skull. Her eyes focused on Natsu's scars and her lips turned down slightly.

"How did you get those?"

"One was an accident…" Natsu replied, "The other was from a bullet."

"A bullet?" Lisanna blinked, surprised.

"…Yeah." Natsu said, "I work security and things can get…out of hand."

Lisanna didn't reply. She continued to play with his hair and smooth her hand over his heart; it felt nice. The scent of her perfume filled his nose, lilac and vanilla. He heard Lisanna inhale and she hummed softly. He didn't use cologne-he couldn't stand the stuff-so she was more than likely enjoying the wintergreen body soap he used.

"You smell nice." Lisanna spoke up, "Cologne?"

"No." Natsu said and Lisanna smiled softly.

"Good…some of the men I've been around douse themselves in it. Sometimes I can't stand it."

"Glad I've saved your nose some pain then." Natsu smirked, earning a hearty chuckle from Lisanna. She had a nice laugh, he mused.

"…I can feel your heart beating." Lisanna said after a moments pause, "Are you still nervous?"

"…Yeah." Natsu decided to be honest.

"Why?"

"A beautiful woman has taken me into a room, with a bed, after showing me things that would put some porno's to shame. Add to the fact that we're slow dancing and…well, you get the idea."

"I do." Lisanna replied, stopping their dance to hold his shoulders, "I had this idea since I watched you from the stage."

Natsu felt his mouth go dry; it was hard to swallow then and there. Lisanna wetted her lips…and then leaned up, pressing her lips to his. Natsu went ramrod straight and unconsciously gripped Lisanna's hips tighter. Her lips were soft, warm, and inviting. Natsu was too stunned to react and when Lisanna pulled away, rather than look at him with confusion or displeasure, her eyes gleamed with understanding.

She kissed his cheek and walked over to the table with the wine bottle and filled the two glasses halfway. She brought them back, giving one to Natsu. The liquid was too dark to be red wine, Natsu knew that much.

"What is this?" Natsu asked, finding his voice.

"Ecstasy." Lisanna replied, simply.

"What!?" Natsu asked, eyes going wide. Lisanna smiled and shook her head.

"Actually it's bliss." Lisanna countered. Natsu's brow furrowed in turn.

"Temptation. Indulgence. Pleasure. Pain. Sin. Euphoria. It is all these things and more." Lisanna continued before smirking. Her eyes had that dark, sensuous gleam again.

"Tell me Natsu…what is your vice?"

"What is my vice?" Natsu repeated, trying to think over what Lisanna meant before pausing.

Vice.

 _Vice._

The word echoed in his head and made his heart skip a beat. The very drug he was trying to stop was now in his hands, being offered to him.

"You mean…this is…?"

"So you've heard of it." Lisanna said, brow arching in as her smirk grew, "It won't kill you if that's what you're wondering."

"It's a drug Lisanna. I don't do that shit."

"And yet here you are. You haven't dropped that glass yet or pushed me away in disdain." Lisanna countered.

"You won't get addicted if that's what you're worried about. Well, unless you have more than what is considered healthy that is."

"Am I supposed to take your word for it?" Natsu countered, his words having more bite than he intended.

Lisanna was unfazed. Instead, she brought her glass to her lips and downed its contents. Lightly smacking her lips, Natsu watched as she shivered while her skin broke out in gooseflesh. Then the skin on her neck, chest, and cheeks flushed while her breathing deepened; making her shudder. Natsu watched in awe as her pupils dilated, constricted, then dilated once more.

She took a series of calming breathes before she let her smirk return. She let her glass fall and land softly on the rug.

"See?" She said, "No foaming at the mouth, no violent outbursts, no clouded mind; just pure, _bliss_."

Natsu looked to the drink in his hands and then to Lisanna, a slight glower in his eyes.

"You just have to try it once. If you don't like it…you never have to do it again. And you never have to see me again if that's what you'd prefer." Lisanna offered, her gaze dropping slightly while she shifted on her feet.

Natsu looked to the liquid again, his thoughts racing through his head. Here he was, holding the drug that was causing so much pain and trouble throughout the country; throughout the city. And he was being offered to try it. Much like before with McNamara, he was conflicted.

On one hand, he could not do the drug, turn Lisanna away, and get the hell out of Fairy Tail. Sting would be miffed, of that he was sure, and he'd probably press as to why he refused Lisanna and the Vice. He could probably make it out without drawing suspicion… _probably_. Then again, he'd most likely turn some heads from the Fairy Tail members as to why he so adamantly passed off the drug. He could play the he "didn't do drugs" card but it would only get him so far. He wouldn't be able to build trust within the guild if he kept refusing drugs even if he participated in other illicit acts. He'd be backed into a corner he wouldn't be able to fight his way out of.

On the other hand, he could take the Vice, pray to God Lisanna was telling the truth, and see firsthand what was leading people to overdose. He'd be able to describe to Gildarts and Hisui the effects the drug had on people and from there, they may be able to develop a way to counteract it. Hell, if he did this, he'd more than likely start building trust within Fairy Tail. If he did this drug…things would start moving forward in his investigation.

In the end, Natsu thought back to Igneel's favorite Bible quote: "Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial…"

He'd hate himself in the morning regardless.

Natsu brought the glass to lips, paused, and then downed its contents. He was surprised by the lack of taste Vice had. It almost tasted like slightly bitter water and-

All thought suddenly ceased as an electric shock ran up his spine while his stomach warmed. His breathing became heavy, his heartbeat sped up, and he shivered. He felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end while his skin broke out in goosebumps. He felt the warmth in his stomach spread out and up into his chest, neck, and face. His vision blurred, causing him to lose his balance but Lisanna caught him.

Dear God, her skin; it felt softer than velvet and was as smooth as it looked. Like marble, but warmer. It felt good; really good.

She guided him to the bed and together, they fell onto the mattress. Natsu had been right about the sheets earlier; they were silk. The softest silk he had ever felt. He ran his and across the fabric, loving how each stroke of his hand made a warmth run from the tips of his fingers, up into his shoulder, and then directly to the base of his skull. He couldn't help the smile that formed on his lips.

His vision lost its haze and Natsu double blinked at how clear and pristine everything seemed.

He could see the smooth lines in the concrete of the ceiling. He could see the small, LED bulbs in the light sockets. When he turned to Lisanna, he could even see the light dusting of freckles across her cheeks which he hadn't noticed before. Their eyes met and Natsu could pick out the individual pigments in her aquamarine eyes.

The music sounded louder, more crisp, and clear. He could hear Lisanna's breathing as if it were his own. Hell, he was sure that was her heart and not his beating in his ears.

"Whoa." Natsu whispered, not recognizing his own voice for a second.

"The first time is always rough, but you get used to it." Lisanna said before smirking, "You on the other hand seem quick to adapt."

She then moved so that she was atop of him, straddling his hips. She settled her weight atop him, bringing a deep groan from out of Natsu while she gently stroked his cheeks or ran her fingers through his hair. Each touch sent a pleasured jolt up and down his spine. Natsu couldn't stop his body from reacting as he grunted once more when Lisanna ground her hips into his. Lilac and vanilla filled his nose and he breathed in deeply, letting the scent fill his lungs.

He froze, however, when Lisanna pressed her lips to the hollow of his throat. He felt her smirk against his skin before she traced the tip of her tongue across his skin and to his pulse. She kissed his pulse twice before nipping at it. Natsu bucked his hips with a grunt.

It felt so good. More than it should.

Then her lips found his once more and Natsu felt his eyes roll up slightly before closing. This time, he returned the embrace, his arms wrapping around Lisanna and pulling her close. Their lips glided against one another's, testing the waters and exploring the sensations they elicited in one another. Lisanna ran her tongue along the seam of his lips, earning a gasp from Natsu that allowed her entrance and muffled his pleased moan.

He could taste the lingering burn of vodka on her tongue and he had no doubt that she could taste the burn of the Captain and the sweet syrup of the cola.

It was a complete and total sensory overload.

And he embraced it.

It should have felt wrong to be doing such a thing, with a woman he'd just met none the less, but he found that he didn't care. Pleasure flooded his veins and had a grip on his mind; and he had surrendered to it.

He didn't know how long they laid there, languidly melding their mouths together or letting their tongues wrestle for dominance, but Natsu found his hands soon wandering. Lisanna's hands had already found their way beneath his shirt and were tracing the hardened muscle of his abs and chest. His pleased grunts and gasps let her know he was enjoying her touch.

He first ran his hand down her spine, making her shiver, while his other did the same for her side. Then both hands found the curve over her rear and squeezed. Lisanna pressed herself into Natsu with a hearty moan, a deep grind of her hips, and a shudder ran all the way through her. Natsu smirked and squeezed again, this time making Lisanna toss her head back with a pleased gasp.

And then she pushed off of him so that she was standing at the base of the bed. Her cheeks were stained red and she panted heavily. Then her hands moved and before Natsu knew it, she wore nothing more than that ever present smirk of hers. Realizing what had happened and what was about to happen, Natsu rose onto his knees and removed his shirts, not wanting to be left behind.

He had trouble with his belt however-his hands fumbled-but then Lisanna's hands were on his wrists as she knelt with him.

"Relax." She whispered, her warm breath fanning over his face. She kissed him again, slowly, and together they removed the last of his clothing.

If he hadn't been high, Natsu would've felt something akin to embarrassment. But those emotions were at the very back of his mind as he took Lisanna in all her natural glory. He reached his hand out and traced a line between her ample breasts, from her collar to her navel, and Lisanna sighed with a dreamy smile. She then took his hands and guided them to her breasts and Natsu exhaled heavily when he felt her hardened nipples against his palms. His sense of touch was on fire; the Vice in his system helping make every touch tingle and jolt in all the right ways.

"Touch me." She whispered. Natsu was quick to oblige.

He molded the supple flesh to his touch, earning moans and pleased sighs from the dancer. He kissed her, deeply, before moving his mouth her breasts. That earned a series of rather cute noises from the back of her throat as his tongue teased and teeth nipped.

Not one to be left out, Lisanna's hands found the erect hardness between his legs, making him shudder and groan deeply. She gave a few languid pumps and gentle caresses, making Natsu grunt at the back of his throat. Not to be outdone, Natsu let his one hand wander to the junction of Lisanna's legs. She shuddered and bit back a cry of bliss, her teeth tugging on her bottom lip. She was slick to the touch and his fingers made lewd noises as they began to explore. He traced her slit, teased the hardened nub, and let his fingers delve into her tight, wet heat.

This time Lisanna did cry out, his name on her hips, and ground her hips into his hand. This only spurred Natsu on as his fingers seemed to take on a mind of their own. Soon, his hand was practically dripping wet.

Then, with surprising strength, she pushed him onto his back and then settled between his legs. Natsu pushed himself up on his shoulders…and cursed when her lips found the tip of his cock. She gave a sultry smirk that promised nothing but sensual and dark things. She kissed the tip, once, twice, and then her tongue flicked out.

"Fuck!" Natsu cursed aloud, hands gripping the bedsheets.

"You're bigger than I thought." Lisanna said with aroused giggle.

She gave a few languid licks of his length, watching as Natsu grunted and panted while sweat began to bead on his brow. She then took him in, watching his eyes snap open and roll up as she bobbed her head while her hands pumped and massaged what her mouth couldn't get. His hands moved through her hair, stroking her scalp and guiding her movements.

Bliss. That was all he felt. Sheer and utter bliss.

But just as he felt like was ready to lose himself, Lisanna pulled away and moved away from him. Blinking in confusion, Natsu heard a drawer open, the tearing of foil, and then Lisanna returned with a condom in hand.

Natsu swallowed hard while Lisanna wetted her lips.

"Are you…" He whispered, the question dying on his lips.

"Yes." Lisanna replied, her voice equally quiet.

He let her slide the condom on and then held her hips as she straddled him, letting her guide him into her wet heat. She clenched around him and for a moment, Natsu forgot how tight she had been. Both shuddered when their hips finally met.

For a moment, neither moved, their shallow breathing mixing with the soft jazz. The Vice amplified the sensation tenfold even through the condom and Natsu felt his eyes roll up slightly.

"God…" He hissed, "God damn…"

"You feel amazing." Lisanna hummed, "So amazing."

She ran her hands down his chest, nails lightly tracing along the skin. Natsu kept his one hand on Lisanna's hip while his other smoothed its way up the flat expanse of her stomach before cupping and kneading her right breast; pinching her nipple between his index and middle finger. She mewled with a pleased smirk, her hand moving to claim her left breast and mimic Natsu's grip.

Having gotten used to the feeling of one another, Lisanna began to rock her hips. Tentatively at first but slowly building a rhythm that left both expressing their pleasure in a series of deep moans and gasps. Slowly, like Lisanna, Natsu began to buck his own hips to meet hers. He then moved his hand from her hip to between her legs and let his thumb tease, flick, and circle her clit; that elicited a sharp cry from Lisanna, causing her to rock her hips harder. He felt her clench tighter around him, her body trembled, and the nails of her free hand dug into his skin.

"I'm coming…" She rasped, "Natsu…I'm coming…Natsu!"

Her rocking suddenly ceased, her body locked up, and a silent, strangled cry tore from her lips. Natsu groaned deeply in turn continuing to buck his hips into Lisanna, each thrust earning more of those cute noises from the back of her throat.

Then, suddenly, the lighting in the room changed from purple to red. Natsu felt his adrenaline suddenly spike and his body felt as if hit been set on fire. A delicious burn that formed in his chest and seemed set on consuming him from the inside and out. Even with his mind threatening to go blank, Natsu had enough sense to attribute the sudden change to the Vice in his system.

But that thought was summarily replaced as the sensation that set his nerves alight intensified. It was because of the music in the room; it had changed from jazz to rock. Natsu vaguely recognized the song as July Talk's _Blood and Honey._

Lisanna raised her head and locked eyes with Natsu. The whites of her eyes, the sclera, had turned pitch black. Her skin was flushed and beaded with sweat. And her breathing was deep and shallow. Ordinarily, Natsu would have been perturbed by the sight of her eyes. But all her eyes did was serve to further heighten his arousal. He was sure, after all, his eyes looked the same as hers…and were having the same affect.

Lisanna's lips were on his in a heartbeat and their kisses quickly became hungry, desperate, and sloppy. Their noses brushed and teeth clinked while their tongues sought out one another. Natsu pulled Lisanna flush against him and renewed the thrusting of his hips, this time adding more force to them. Lisanna pulled her mouth away long enough to utter two simple words.

"Fuck me." She rasped.

Natsu grunted, a deep, wild sound and flipped Lisanna onto her back. Her legs wrapped wound his waist, urging him on, while her hands gripped his shoulder blades. Every thrust, every buck of his hips, made Lisanna shudder and cry out. Her hips moved to meet his, even when their pacing faltered for the briefest of moments.

Natsu barely noted that he was growling. It was all starting to blur together.

The music picked up in pacing and Natsu felt his body move of its own accord; same for Lisanna. They were fucking to the beat and intensity of the music.

 _They're lining up to see you  
I've been coming all too soon  
There's a crowd of white bloodshot eyes  
So no one cares you're out of tune_

 _We've got blood and honey  
All you have is money  
There's nothing new at what you do  
It's the only pain you know_

 _I don't miss your cocaine  
I got blood and honey  
getting high and getting some  
It's the only pain you know_

He didn't know how they got there, how long they had been at it, but Natsu soon became aware of the fact that Lisanna was laying on her side, supporting herself with her arms as he straddled her left leg while her right was up and resting against his shoulder. Natsu was hugging the limb close, supporting Lisanna as he continued to thrust into her.

Sweat ran in rivulets down their flushed skin and both panted in both exertion and carnal bliss. Tears of pleasure streamed down Lisanna's cheeks, her eyes never leaving his. Rapid fire breathes mixed with the rhythmic slapping of flesh against flesh.

Natsu could feel himself begin to lose himself once more, he was on the brink of the tipping point. The same went for Lisanna. Their breathing and pleasured moans and cries were reaching a fevered pitch; the coiled knot inside the both of them was ready to snap.

"Natsu…" Lisanna's voice sounded strangled, "Natsu…"

"Lisanna…I…I can't…I'm gonna…I'm gonna…"

She reached up, her hand finding the back of his neck, and leaned up.

"Me too." She whispered against his lips before kissing him deeply. It was this kiss that finally pushed them over the edge.

Lisanna screamed into the kiss, eyes snapping shut as her walls clenching tightly around Natsu for a second time; slathering his hips with her arousal. She'd squirted…it had been a long time since someone had made her do that. Natsu tore his lips from Lisanna's and gnashed his teeth together, eyes screwed shut, as he gave two heavy, final thrusts of his hips and stilled. His already heightened senses went into overload and his vision went white behind his eyelids. For a minute, time seemed to stop; he could almost feel everything around him. Every nerve that screamed in bliss; the way the air smelled of vanilla, lilac, wintergreen, sweat, and arousal; the sound of two hearts rapidly beating almost in tandem.

It was glorious.

And then it all came crashing down to reality. The adrenaline had worn off as had the high of the Vice; exhaustion quickly overwhelmed him.

Natsu had enough sense left in him to gently pull out of Lisanna, toss the condom away, and let her go. Then he collapsed onto his front beside of her; both panting from what might have been the best sex Natsu had ever had. Her sclera had returned to normal but her eyes were fluttering shut. She smiled a tired smile.

"Told you…we'd have…fun." Lisanna rasped through her labored breathes. Her hand reached out and gently traced his face, her fingers lingering over his scar. He did the same, his fingers tracing the curve of her hip.

"Yeah…I guess you did…" Natsu whispered and finally let exhaustion overwhelm him.

Unconsciousness pulled him down…and he welcomed it. He'd deal with the consequences whenever he woke up. He was sure he'd have a shit ton to process when all was said and done.

 _I don't miss your cocaine  
I got blood and honey  
Getting high and gettin some  
It's the only pain you know_

XXXX

A/N: Moral of the chapter (hell, moral of the story): don't do drugs. Just…don't.

So, what did you guys think? Was I able to pull the "love" scene off without it being too awkward? Was I able to describe the effects off Vice in a comprehensive manner?

I apologize if the whole sex scene seemed awkward or disjointed. Still new to the whole NSFW/Smut business. Maybe the disjointedness lent to affect the Vice was having on Natsu? Yes? No? Either way, let me know what ya'll think.

Despite the fact that I had to have cold glass of water at certain points in this chapter, this was a fun chapter to write and I look forward to being able to try writing more mature themes and subject matter that isn't just bloody fist fights and high octane gunfights. It was fun being able to write out scenes to fit in with some of my favorite songs as well.

So, Natsu has successfully gained access to Fairy Tail. But in the process, he's taken the drug he's sworn to stop from destroying the city and the country. Will he become addicted to it and fall to pieces or will he be able to carry on with his mission and weather the storm he has sailed into. Either way, next chapter, he's waking up with one hell of a headache. Next chapter will introduce Lucy in a more detailed light and then it will focus back to Natsu. I know I'll catch some flak for this chapter being mainly NaLi but NaLu will be coming soon enough. Once again, this story will focus on NaLuLi so both sides will get an equal amount of love.

The next story I'm going to update is Vendetta. I'm a quarter of the way done with both Chapters 16 and 17 so maybe I'll do a double update for that. I should be able to post during the week or the week after. Then I'm moving to Between Light and Shadow…which I'm a quarter of the way through with for the chapter and then I'll be coming back to this. So yeah, hopefully a bunch of updates coming up.

As per usual, if you guys have any comments or questions, please put it in your review and I'll make sure to respond to you in the next chapter. If you have anything else that you wish to ask me or clarify, you can PM me and I'll do my best to respond ASAP.

Until next time; read, review and most importantly of all, HAPPY READING!


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Hello ladies and gents; welcome back!

I hope things have been well for all of you since last time, things have been a little crazy on my end of here. We've had some bad weather recently and I've been battling the sump pump in the basement of my house to prevent it from flooding and making a repair here and there. Plus, my personal life has been causing me all kinds of grief, hence the lack of writing. I've found that my life has gotten busier after college instead of during college…funny how that works out since my last semester was nuts. But, on the bright side, I got my security guard license so I'll be able to apply for a better job soon and I've still managed to find time to write-what little time I have-and was able to get this out. I know I said I was going to be doing a bunch of updates and I will as I intend to try for a double update this Sunday.

So, last time we left with Natsu being introduced to Fairy Tail and a few of its members while finally getting a look at the dark underbelly of the city. The corruption that can hide in plain sight. And Natsu caught the eye of one Lisanna Strauss…and promptly joined her for a night of vice and sin, finally getting a taste of the drug that threatens to tear the city apart. Now all remains to be seen is what will follow his first night undercover.

I appreciate the feedback with the last chapter in regards to the sex scene between Natsu and Lucy. Just fair warning, there'll be more NSFW in this chapter but nothing to the extent of last time…that'll be saved for the next chapter.

As I like to do, before we continue on, here is a shout out to all of you who left a review last time around:

 _ **Zsturdivant82:**_ Hello and welcome. Well, you have to understand, Natsu didn't abandon his morals per se. He had to take the Vice and keep his cover, otherwise he'd attract unwanted attention. He's trying to stick to his morals but as time goes on, he'll find he'll have to bend them in order to get the job done. And even if he did try to change Lucy or Lisanna, who says they'd want to change?

 _ **FreyjaBee:**_ Hello my friend, as always, welcome back! Your input is always appreciated! Yep, Natsu's morals will conflict with his duty as the story progresses and I'm debating whether or not to have him just completely toss them away. But that's something for another time. With your writing you tend to pull these sort of things off better than I do but it's nice to know I offer a different perspective. Yep, either way you look at it; Natsu had to take the Vice. Damned if you do, damned if you don't. And as the story progresses, the Vice itself may bring out a few things within Natsu. Oh thank God I didn't botch the smut, I was worried about how that turned out. As always, your input and help is very much appreciated and I hope you enjoy this chapter!

 _ **SuliMike23:**_ Hey dude, welcome back! Yep, Lucy and Lisanna are close like that and when the times comes for them to pounce on Natsu…it'll be good. Oh, I'm sure when that little detail comes to light, things will get ugly. Very ugly.

 ** _Cortneykaszowski:_** Hello and welcome to the story! Nice to know I didn't botch the smut and got all my details in order.

 _ **Guest:**_ Hello…look, I shouldn't have to defend my writing like this but for you, I want to make things clear. I made it clear what this story was going to entail from the beginning. And yet here you go leaving a rather rude response when you knew full well what to expect. If you're not going to read this story, fine. As I said, you can read something else that suits your tastes. Nalu may be my OTP and I do enjoy writing them, but I like to keep an open mind on things, which was one of the reasons why I am writing this story; to explore new ideas. I am not ruining anything since I am giving both Nalu and Nali equal attention in this story. I am not trying to come off as rude but this is a measured response. Please, show a little maturity and leave constructive feedback if you decide to leave a review again. Thank you.

 _ **Guest:**_ Hello! Thank you, I'm glad you're enjoying things so far.

 _ **ToLegitt2Quit:**_ Hey dude, how are you? I'm glad you enjoyed the Nali in the last chapter but…that's a little TMI dude. It's smut so I'd be disappointed if it didn't have the effect on people. I did find your channel and watch your vids. Unfortunately, I do not have a YouTube of my own so I can't subscribe to anything. Congratulations on breaking 100 though!

 _ **Starnalu:**_ Hello and welcome to the story, I'm glad you are enjoying things so far; it's nice to know that being a detail nut pays off. Oh, so you read Toxineena's writing too? Cool! She's a much better writer than I am, in my humble opinion. As for the rest of your statement there…I plead the fifth! Hope you enjoy!

And so without further ado, let's continue our story!

XXXX

CHAPTER 4

XXXX

 _ **The night before…**_

 _ **The apartment of City Councilman "Duke" Everlue…**_

Lucy had to admit, the high rise apartment she currently stood in had one hell of a view of city. Sure, there were many others like it that filled this part of downtown Magnolia, but none offered quite the view of the riverfront and bridge. She loved how the riverfront lights danced on the water, while looking up, she had a clear view of the nighttime sky. There was no moon tonight and the stars glimmered against infinity.

Her mother used to tell her that the stars were all angels who watched their loved ones from heaven; the brighter the star, the brighter the love the angel held. When she had been young, she and her mother would sit out in the garden under a heavy blanket and spend many an hour thinking of what the angel's stories were.

She frowned slightly at the memory. Which star was her mother's, she wondered. Where was her angel? And what would she think of her if she were alive today? Lucy knew for a fact that if her mother had still been alive she'd be living a much different life…but, sadly, she had her father to blame for the events that led her to running away.

But, as much as she missed her mother-as much as she thought of her-she couldn't imagine a life without Fairy Tail. Fairy Tail had become her home and she thought many of its members to be her family. Fairy Tail took her in when she had nowhere else to go and the guild had helped build her into who she was today: a woman who was strong, independent, and not afraid of the darkness that hid in plain sight.

Plus, the sadistic side of her thought, _she liked being the bad girl_. All her life she had been raised to be prim and proper before being forced under someone else's boot. But not anymore. She held power over others now, she could handle a gun like it was second nature, and truth be told…it never hurt to dish out pain unto others.

Like tonight, for case in point.

As she waited for her target to make his way back to the bedroom where she now stood, Lucy took the time to examine her appearance. Her hair had been pulled back into a long ponytail and extra make up had been applied to "doll her up". Diamond earrings and a gold necklace glinted in the low light. She wore a form fitting, sleeveless-strapless, red cocktail dress that showed off her curves while her red heels accentuated the muscles in her calves. White silk gloves covered her hands, hands that daintily held the wine glass she had been offered. The wine was expensive, she could tell by the smell, and the taste was just as exquisite.

And beneath it all, she wore lace lingerie that left little next to nothing to the imagination. Anything less and she'd practically be walking around naked beneath her dress.

She was beautiful and she knew it; loved it, even. It allowed her to hold power over and sometimes even control others. The adrenaline spiked in her veins just thinking about it and she had to reign herself in.

"Comfortable, my dear?"

Lucy looked in the reflection of the glass to see Everlue standing at the bedroom threshold. He was short little man, on the portly side of things, and reminded Lucy of a troll. His hair was slicked back, his thin mustache had been stylized, and his smile gave Lucy the creeps. He wore a crushed velvet robe and held a bottle of wine in his hands.

He entered, and the awaiting maid closed the door behind him. Lucy turned to face him.

"Yes Duke Everlue," Lucy smiled, all charm and dainty poise, "thank you for your hospitality."

"For you my dear, I would have rolled out the red carpet." Everlue grinned as he walked over to an old record player and put the needle on an old jazz record.

Lucy rolled her eyes while the man's back was turned. The man seemed to fancy himself a Casanova of sorts.

" _More like a man who's watched too many cliché romance movies."_ Lucy thought.

From his spot at the record player, Everlue produced a remote and with a press of a button, the blinds covered the windows. Another button, the lights dimmed. A third button and a small fireplace set in the wall came alight.

"Hope you don't mind if I set the mood." Everlue gave an eyebrow wiggle as he walked over to Lucy.

"No, of course not." Lucy giggled, while once again, she internally rolled her eyes.

"I am happy to hear that Old Man Makarov and Madam Porlyusica are willing to let bygones be bygones. I know I've…made some mistakes with them in the past, but, I'm glad we've been able to reach an understanding. When Old Porly' said she was sending me a gift as a token of gratitude, I must admit, I had not been expecting you."

Lucy took a drink of wine, giving her lips a suggestive lick, "Well, the Master and Madam want to begin this new relationship on good terms. I'm sure if you stay in their good graces, visits like this will become more common."

Everlue grinned and shamelessly let his eyes rove Lucy's body, "Now that's something I think I could get used to."

He raised his glass in a toast and Lucy clinked her glass against his.

"To new beginnings!" Everlue smiled and downed his drink, Lucy doing the same.

" _More like the end."_ Lucy thought but kept her smile plastered on her face. Everlue set his glass on the table and Lucy did the same.

"So tell me my dear Lucy," Everlue's smile was lecherous, "what type of gift do you have for me tonight?"

"Something that will leave you senseless." Lucy's smile turned dark and seductive.

"I like the sound of that." Everlue replied.

Lucy daintily moved her hands to Everlue's robe and undid it; the man wore nothing but a pair of boxers beneath.

"The bed please," Lucy whispered into his ear, "I think a little show and massage will help make things more…enjoyable for us both."

Everlue chuckled and let his hand grope Lucy's breast. She feigned an amorous moan and did the same when Everlue gave her ass a squeeze and slap. She wanted to gag-to cringe-but her training prevented her from doing so.

Everlue took his spot at the base of the bed, grinning all the way, and Lucy took a calming breathe. Then, slowly, tantalizingly, she shimmied out of her dress. Everlue ogled the way her hips shook and breasts bounced within their lacy confines. He then without shame began to stroke himself through his boxers.

Lucy let the jazz guide her movements and she sashayed and moved to Everlue, her dance seemingly putting the councilman into a hypnotic state. She let the dance continue for several minutes before deciding she had teased the man enough and pressed her hands to his shoulders, pushing him onto his back.

"You're so tense Duke Everlue; I see a massage is needed indeed." Lucy said.

Everlue licked his lips, "What kind of massage do you have in mind?"

"A special one." Lucy teased, "Please, onto your front."

Everlue chuckled in anticipation while Lucy smiled, faking anticipation of her own, and the man did as he was instructed. Lucy then straddled his lower back and cracked her knuckles.

"Once again Lucy," Everlue said, resting his chin on his hands, "please tell the madam how grateful I am too her and the old man for reconsidering my offer."

"Oh, I can assure you," Lucy smiled, "they send their regards."

Lucy's smile turned especially cruel as she reached between her breasts and pulled out the .380 compact Porlyusica had given her. This was one of the few times she was glad for having ample breasts; they made it easy to hide things.

Without ceremony, Lucy leveled the tiny automatic with the back of Everlue's head and summarily emptied the magazine into it. There was some blood splatter and his body twitched spastically with each shot. But by the time the slide locked back, the down comforter was turning crimson and Everlue was dead. He didn't know what had hit him.

Mission accomplished.

Lucy tossed the gun onto the bed as she stood. It was a throwaway gun and it had served its purpose. The gun had tape wrapped around the grip and trigger so it was doubtful the police would get working prints on it while the serial numbers had been filed away into nonexistence. And, her gloves had also kept her prints off the wine glass, an extra measure of security.

Lucy glowered at the still bleeding corpse and spat on it.

"Pig." She muttered, shimmying back into her dress and putting her gloves back on.

She then walked over to purse, which was set on another small table, and retrieved the burner phone set inside. She used a tissue to wipe off the concealer on her arm, revealing the pen written number she had hidden earlier.

She dialed the number, waited for the phone to ring five times before the sound of a dialup modem was heard, followed by the encryption static. The phone rang only once more before it was answered.

"He's dead." Lucy said simply.

"Well done Lucy," Porlyusica's voice replied, "I'll be sure to reward and compensate you for this. Return home, you're done for the night. Your ride will be waiting for you."

"Thank you Madam." Lucy said and hung up the phone. She then tossed the phone into a nearby waste basket. The cops wouldn't get anything off of it though.

She looked over to Everlue and couldn't help the smirk that formed on her lips, her mind thinking back to earlier in the night when she had been called to Porlyusica's office.

XXXX

" _Enter." The voice said from the other side of the door._

 _Lucy turned the door handle and stepped into Porlyusica's spacious office. The two guards who were ever present behind the doors, stepped aside and allowed her to enter._

 _The office walls were lined with red curtains, the floor a soft carpet, and two fine leather couches set before a glass coffee table took up the center of the room; a bottle of brandy with glasses and ice sat at the center. At the back was a mahogany desk set up with a computer and two phones; the Madam's "nexus" as some liked to call it. And sitting in the dark red chair was the Madam herself: Porlyusica._

" _You called for me Madam?" Lucy asked._

" _Yes child." Porlyusica said, gesturing Lucy over._

 _The woman was as old as the guild itself but she was in remarkable condition for her age. There were very few worry, frown, and age lines on her face and her dark red eyes held Lucy's attention; they always seemed to be set in a perpetual glower. Her hair was a dark pink and was kept tied back into a pony tail while two bangs framed her face. She wore a charcoal grey business suit and held a glass of brandy in her hands._

" _Tell me my dear," Porlyusica said, taking a drink from her glass, "do you know who this is?"_

 _She then spun her computer monitor around to reveal a familiar face. Although she had never met the man, she remembered her father talking about him during his business meetings. Plus, the man seemed to be on the front page news whenever the council passed a new regulation or law._

" _That's Councilman Everlue," Lucy replied, "'The Duke' as he likes to be called…or so I've heard."_

" _More like a pain in the ass and an arrogant fuck-wit is more like it." Porlyusica bit out._

" _Uh-oh," Lucy tittered, "what has he done to incur yours and the Master's wrath?"_

 _Porlyusica took a long sip of her drink and waved her hand in a tired manner._

" _The man has done business with us in the past but has always tried to weasel his way out the deals at the last minute or cut himself a larger share that what was agreed upon. His antics have caused many a headache, I assure you._

 _We've had to remind him more than once that without our aid, he wouldn't be where he is, nor in our good graces. Yes, we have had use for him over the years being in the position that he's in…but, sadly-or rather-thankfully, his time has now passed. And we need him no longer._

 _Somehow, that blithering idiot caught wind of the growing Vice trade under our care and wants in on the profits. He's threatened to go to the authorities and tell them what he knows, being selective in what he reveals of course while keeping his name out of the muck. He thinks he's got us by the balls."_

" _So he's blackmailing us and threatening to rat us out; we take the fall while he keeps his cushy job?" Lucy surmised._

" _In layman's terms, yes." Porlyusica took another sip of her drink._

" _The idiot doesn't seem to realize who we are." Lucy shook her head._

" _Quite." The Madam replied._

 _Everlue was a run of the mill, crooked, dirty politician, who made his way to the top by enlisting the help of a crime guild. Nothing special. Men like him seemed to forget the debt they owed the guild they did business with and often thought of the "lowly criminals" as beneath them. But they seemed to equally forget that to the crime guilds, crooked politicians were a dime a dozen._

 _Lucy remembered what had happened to the last politicians who had fallen out of good grace with Fairy Tail._

 _They had been two conniving assemblymen from up north who smuggled rare goods from the northern countries at the Master's and Madam's behest. The assemblymen made a profit from the business they had with Fairy Tail but eventually they got greedy. Eventually they pressed Makarov and Porlyusica's buttons the wrong way one too many times and they simply had enough._

 _Laxus, Jellal, Erza, Mirajane, and Gajeel had been sent in to deal with the problem. They'd beaten the tar out of both of the assemblymen, sparing only one since he proved more valuable alive, and then blasted his partner to pieces…all while the poor sod watched. From what she understood, five Desert Eagle's-each loaded with eight .50 caliber bullets-fired at point blank range made quite the mess._

 _Needless to say, they never had to remind the survivor of his good fortune._

" _On top of all that, Everlue seems to have caused trouble with not just us." Porlysucia continued with a wave of her hand._

" _Oh?" Lucy asked._

" _Blue Pegasus is calling in a favor. Apparently Everlue can't seem to keep his hands to himself nor keep it in his pants. The last time he was at Pegasus was the last straw for Ichiya. He wants Everlue out of the picture. I told them we'd be all too happy to accept their request since their goals coincide with ours."_

" _And you want me to deal with the Duke." Lucy stated more than asked. She had some friends in Blue Pegasus who would vent their distaste in their clientele and she could guess as to what happened with Everlue._

" _You are one of our finest Lucy; you were the first one to come to mind." Porlyusica smiled softly._

" _Thank you Madam." Lucy blushed, "I'm honored to hear such praise."_

" _Praise you have earned. You work hard and you have proven your loyalty time and time again. Keep this up and you'll be our newest lieutenant in no time."_

 _Lucy smiled and couldn't stifle the excitement she felt run down her spine. Her!? A lieutenant!? And she was being given a chance to move to one of the second most coveted positions in Fairy Tail!? That was an opportunity she was not going to pass up._

" _What do you need me to do Madam?" Lucy asked, stifling her glee._

 _Porlyusica produced a small .380 LCP from her desk and handed it to Lucy._

" _Earlier in the day I arranged a meeting between you and the Duke at his apartment; a 'gift' meant to smooth out our misunderstanding. A driver from Blue Pegasus will be here within the hour to pick you up and take you to him; the Duke shall be expecting you. Get his guard down and when you are close enough, eliminate him…however you see fit."_

 _Lucy racked the slide of the pocket pistol before tucking it in her pocket._

" _I can think of a few ideas." Lucy replied, "So I'm just supposed to walk in and out?"_

" _Yes. Bribing Everlue's guards and the maids he has as staff wasn't that hard; they hate Everlue more than we do apparently."_

 _Lucy arched a brow, "Someone's angrier than you and the Master? I'm shocked."_

" _Sarcasm is unbecoming of you child." Porlyusica glowered before waving her hand dismissively._

" _Go. I'll have James here help you get prepared and provide you a burner for when you've finished. I expect nothing less than success, Lucy."_

" _Then success I shall deliver." Lucy smirked._

XXXX

"Fool." Lucy sneered at Everlue before chuckling darkly to herself. This had been far too easy.

Congratulating herself on a job well done, Lucy opened the door and found the maid still waiting outside. She was a tiny little thing that shook with terrified, nervous jitters.

"And you'll keep your silence?" Lucy asked the maid who quickly nodded her head, wringing her hands nervously.

"Good." Lucy smiled, patting the woman atop her head, "I wish you the best of luck in finding new employment. Same goes for everyone else."

"Y-Yes, of course." The maid stammered, "Thank you."

Lucy sauntered past the maid and back the way she'd been led through the spacious apartment. She now openly frowned at the gaudy furniture and art that decorated the space. Didn't Everlue have any taste? But, given how he acted towards her earlier, she figured the man didn't know the meaning of the word.

She walked past the other maids and hired guards who had once been in Everlue's service. They all watched her, as if expecting her to turn on them or for a death squad to suddenly burst through the doors. No such thing happened, however, and Lucy bid them all a cheerful goodnight on her way out.

Down the elevator she went and back into the lobby, strutting all the way. She caught the eyes of both men and women who were lingering around but paid them no mind.

"Back so soon?" The doorman asked, "I would have thought your time with the councilman would've been longer."

"Unfortunately, he's deathly tired and he had to cut our time short." Lucy smiled and the doorman shrugged as he opened the door for Lucy.

Lucy tipped the man and smiled when her escort for the night pulled up in his silver Mercedes. Eve Tearm was a sweetheart; he really was. He treated her with respect-same for the other girls-and although he was an unrepentant flirt, Lucy knew he was nothing but a gentleman. It was rare for such traits to exist, especially in their line of work. But on the bright side, Lucy knew that the man had her back.

Blue Pegasus was one of the few crime guilds in the city Lucy could actually say Fairy Tail was friends with and it wouldn't surprise her to learn if Makarov and Ichiya were working on joining forces. The two guilds worked together well, it'd be better business for all involved, and Fairy Tail could add new blood to their ranks.

It'd be another win under their belt, just like tonight.

"Hello gorgeous," Eve flashed her a toothy grin, "That old troll give you any trouble?"

"He never saw it coming." Lucy smirked as she entered the car.

"About damn time you guys did something about that putz. Any longer and I think Ren and Hibiki would've shot him dead the next time he visited our guild." Eve said as he pulled out of the apartment grounds and onto the city streets.

"Was he harassing Jenny and Sherry again?" Lucy asked to which Eve sighed.

"Yeah…" Eve frowned, "Ichiya wasn't thrilled but Everlue paid well and kept his mouth shut. Plus, too many people would ask too many questions if he came to a city council meeting looking like he'd been hit by a freight train. The man would've ratted us out in a heartbeat."

"Master and the Madam would've tossed him in the river at this point if he had done any of that at Fairy Tail." Lucy said casually.

"Which is why Ichiya asked for your guilds help. Or rather, called in a favor. Everlue knew everyone at Pegasus so he'd know something was up if we came in. Although I'm sure he pissed of Makarov and Porlyusica, I'm pretty sure I never heard him say he ever visited you guys."

"He was never invited." Lucy said simply, "But yes, he did piss off the Master and Madam too many a time. They were planning on getting rid of him anyway."

"Well, he's dead and buried now so we owe you for that. At least that's one headache taken care of." Eve said as he pulled onto the highway.

"A win for both of us." Lucy smiled.

"Amen to that." Eve replied.

The rest of the drive home was spent in either silence or with Eve and Lucy making light conversation. An hour and forty five minutes later, they were in the West District of the city; the upper echelon of Magnolia's residents. From the white picket suburbs that bordered the cities northern and outlying edges, to the upscale neighborhoods, and mansions, the North District made it clear it was the cream of the crop compared to the rest of Magnolia.

Soon, Eve was driving into a gated community of upscale apartments that looked more like mansions to any outside observer; the Fairy Hill's apartments. Sitting atop a hill that gave a good view into the city, the six story buildings were each denoted by a corresponding number and were all owned by Porlyusica for the sole sake of housing the majority of Fairy Tail's members.

She had spared no expense when it came to the apartment's amenities, ensuring that the guild members were comfortable while subtly reminding them of who they belonged to. But Lucy didn't mind, nor was she one to look a gift horse in the mouth. The pool on the roof with accompanying sauna and hot tub, the gym on the first floor, the bonus to her pay, and her personal garage where she stored her '71 Camaro SS were perks she used to the fullest.

Lucy's apartment was in building three on the top floor. Eve escorted her to the front door-ever the gentlemen-and bid her a goodnight. From there, Lucy entered the foyer of the building where she took an elevator to the top. A small hall led to a locked door and beyond that, were the apartments.

The layout to the apartments almost reminded her of a college dorm. The floor had a large, main communal area for visitors with three separate halls that led to the apartments before connecting in the back where the pool was.

The apartments themselves were neither large nor small; they were comfortable.

Lucy locked the door behind her and kicked off her heels, making a note to return them when she came back to the guild the next day. She set her purse on her kitchen's small island, stripped out of her dress, and let her hair fall down. She was just about to make her way to the bathroom when she felt something warm brush past her leg.

"Merow." Happy, her pet Scottish Fold, greeted her as he curled against her calf.

Lucy had found him years ago, shortly after running away. She thought it odd that a cat would have blue fur but figured the poor thing had fallen in some dye or something of that nature. Whatever the case, Happy had gravitated to her and she had him ever since.

"Hey there Happy." Lucy hummed as she picked up the feline, letting him nuzzle her as she held him close.

"You have a quiet night?" She asked. Happy simply purred in response as Lucy scratched the sweet spot behind his ears.

"C'mon, let's get you something to eat and then we'll turn in for the night, how does that sound?"

The cat perked up at the mention of being fed and Lucy couldn't help but giggle. She spoiled the cat, honestly.

While Happy ate, Lucy treated herself to some leftovers, before cleaning Happy's dish and then making her way to the bathroom. Her shower was long and hot to point that it could be considered a steam bath. She didn't mind because one, she liked the feel of the hot water massaging her skin-the steam filling her lungs-and two, she wanted to get rid of Everlue's touch. It had left her skin crawling all night and she wanted to forget it.

Though she'd rather have company to replace the unnerving feeling; showers with a partner had become one of her favorite kinks. She'd have to call up Juvia and see if Frost would let her be borrowed for a night…or, Lucy thought with a naughty smirk, he could always join them. Juvia and Frost were devoted to one another, but like everyone else in the guild, they were always up for a little fun.

By the time she was done and dressed in an old tee shirt and nothing else, it was well past one in the morning. Still not truly tired, Lucy crawled into bed with one her favorite books- _Anna Karenina_ -and snuggled beneath the covers for a good read. Happy curled up at her hip and was soon asleep. As she read, her eyes would occasionally flicker to the city beyond her window and she'd wonder about her partner.

Lisanna seemed really taken by that newcomer and Lucy hoped the man treated her friend right. Otherwise, she'd have to break out her stiletto heels and teach him some manners. But to be fair, he did risk his neck to save Sting, so he couldn't be all that bad.

Finally feeling sleepy after a while, Lucy set her book aside, switched off the bedside lamp and hoped Lisanna was having fun with her mystery cutie. She'd have to ask her about him in the morning; she wanted to know all the steamy, sensual details. And if she liked what she'd heard, then maybe she'd have to pay the man a special visit as well.

XXXX

 _ **Fairy Tail, Pleasure Suites: Room # 20…**_

 _ **Morning…**_

" _Natsu."_

 _His fellow eight year old fiends paused in their game of soccer to look past Natsu with a mixture of confusion and trepidation. They had good reason to be afraid, Natsu thought as he swallowed hard. He gripped the ball in his hands tighter, recognizing the voice._

 _Slowly, he turned away and kept the soccer ball close, hoping that it would act like a shield of sorts._

" _Hey…Zeref." Natsu said, doing his best to keep the fear out of his voice._

 _Zeref Dragneel had changed since the last time Natsu had seen his big brother._

 _He was now a tall and lanky fifteen year old, with his jet black hair sporting some purple dye that stood out in contrast. He wore a weathered, black leather jacket; a tee shirt that had the logo of some metal band; black, torn cargo pants, and a pair of well used black sneakers. Natsu wondered if Zeref had become one of those goth people he heard his friends talk about or like his neighbors across the hall, Mr. Pat and Ms. Trish._

 _At least Mr. Pat and Ms. Trish were nice and were happy to babysit Natsu when Igneel had to work late. Mr. Pat always helped Natsu with his math homework and Ms. Trish would read him cool, old stories by a guy called Poe. They didn't try to hurt other kids, grab their brother by the arm, or carry a gun with them._

 _Zeref's smile diminished slightly at the corners and he took a step forward. Natsu took a step back._

" _I don't see you in forever and all you have to say to me is 'Hey Zeref'?" Zeref asked, "Don't I get a hug or something? I've been worried about you Natsu."_

 _Natsu looked around for Igneel and saw him talking to the other dads; they were too preoccupied to have noticed Zeref. The other kids, having noticed Natsu's unease, began to back away too._

" _You shouldn't be here Zeref. Igneel will get mad." Natsu said._

 _That made Zeref frown and his deep red eyes took a hardness to them._

" _That old man?" Zeref took his hands out of his pockets, revealing that his fingernails were painted black._

" _What, am I not allowed to see my little brother?" Zeref pressed, stepping closer to Natsu. Zeref was getting agitated and his brother began to get scary when he was agitated._

 _Natsu looked over his shoulder again for Igneel and he locked eyes with his friend Mark. The other boy paused just for a minute and gave the slightest of nods, slowly inching away. Hopefully Zeref wouldn't notice and Mark could get to Igneel._

" _Hey," Zeref's hand was on his shoulder, making his head snap back, "don't look at him; look at me. I'm your brother Natsu and I have a right to see you. That old man can't keep us apart forever."_

"… _Igneel said the police were looking for you Zeref. You hurt that other kid really bad at the orphanage, you keep running away from your home, and…and Igneel doesn't want you near me." Natsu said, aware that the other kids were now keeping their distance._

 _Zeref knelt down so they were eye to eye, his frown deeply set. He grabbed Natsu's other shoulder._

" _We're family Natsu. Mom and dad would have wanted us to stick together and all that old man is doing is trying to take you away from me. Don't you want to be a family again? Don't you want to be with me, just like how it used to be?"_

 _They'd been on their own for a while at the orphanage, just him and Zeref after mom and dad had died in the train accident. They had been inseparable with Zeref promising to always protect him. But then the adults came and placed him in a different home while Natsu had to stay at the orphanage. And then he was on his own. At least Mother Kate and Sister Raye were nice and looked after him. But then Zeref had come back for him…and everything changed._

 _He still loved Zeref…but not as much as he used to. Now he scared him._

" _Look, I know I did some bad things but I couldn't let the guys who took me do the same to you; I had to get you out of there. Look…just…just come with me, okay? It can be just you and me again. We can go wherever we want. We'll be a family again."_

 _It hurt Natsu to see the hopeful smile on Zeref's face. He swallowed hard and shook his head._

" _I don't want to go." Natsu said and felt tears well up in his eyes. Zeref looked both crestfallen and shocked._

" _Igneel is nice. He takes care of me and…and…" Natsu swallowed again, "And he's not scary like you Zeref. You're not how you used to be."_

 _In that moment, Natsu knew he shouldn't have said that. Zeref's eyes became alight in anger, he scowled deeply, and he squeezed Natsu's shoulders; tight. Then he let out a low growl, just like mom used to do when she got angry._

" _I'm scary…Natsu?" Zeref's tone was both forced and clipped, "Is that what that old man is telling you; that I'm scary? That I'm a monster, huh? What else has he told you? That just because I messed up, we can't be family!? That I can't see you because of some bullshit charges!?"_

" _Zeref…stop…" Natsu tried to pull away from his brother but Zeref's grip was firm; to the point that it began to hurt._

" _He's lying Natsu!" Zeref snapped, "He doesn't know a damn thing! And I'm not going to let some cop poison the mind of my little brother any longer! C'mon; we're leaving."_

" _No!" Natsu protested, trying to pull away._

" _Natsu, I said let's go." Zeref snarled as he stood, taking Natsu's arm and forcing him to drop his ball._

" _No!" Natsu dug his heels into the ground, "Igneel!"_

 _Zeref was stronger than him and began to pull him along. Natsu felt his arm begin to strain and he tried to pry Zeref's fingers from his arm._

" _Igneel!" Natsu cried out again, "IGNEEL!"_

 _There was a blur of movement beside him, Zeref cursed, and Natsu stumbled back…into the awaiting arms of Igneel Dragion. His adoptive father._

" _You've got quite the pair on you kid." Igneel said as he moved Natsu behind him. His voice was low and firm; his "police voice" as Igneel liked to say._

" _Especially coming out in broad daylight when the MPD has warrants for your arrest."_

 _Zeref scowled at Igneel, "Get away from my brother old man; he belongs with me!"_

" _Natsu is my son now Zeref, you're going to have to get used to it." Igneel said, keeping his cool._

" _No! I'm his only family; I'm the only one he needs!"_

" _And like you could do a better job taking care of him?" Igneel countered, "I've seen you're file kid; you need help. I'm sorry for what's happened to you but you are in no shape to be around Natsu. I'm sorry…I really am."_

" _I bet you are." Zeref bit out, "If you're so sorry, why didn't you take me in too, huh?"_

" _Like I said, I've seen your file. You'd be nothing but a bad influence and a trouble maker for Natsu. He'd be better off with me while you got help."_

" _Don't act like you know me, pig." Zeref spat, "You don't know a damn thing…and like it or not, Natsu is coming with me."_

 _Zeref's hand began reaching into his jacket pocket._

" _Don't even think about it." Igneel said in tone Natsu had never heard before. It was a voice that shook him to the core._

 _Zeref's hand snapped out, the metal of a gun glinting in the light. But Igneel was faster, faster than he'd ever seen Igneel before. His one hand grabbed Zeref's wrist, forcing his arm up, while his other formed a fist and nailed Zeref in the gut; hard. Igneel pivoted, wrenched the gun from Zeref's hand, and slammed him onto the ground. He forced Zeref onto his front while pulling his arm behind his back, kneeling on the teen to keep him in place._

 _The other dads had finally caught up and ushered away the kids who hadn't ran. One grabbed the gun and took it out of Zeref's reach while the others helped Igneel restrain the thrashing teenager. Another dad scooped Natsu up into his arms and took him away from the fray._

" _C'mon kiddo, let's get you out of here." The dad said._

" _Let go of me!" Zeref snarled, "Let go of me you bastards!"_

" _Zeref Dragneel you are under arrest for brandishing a deadly weapon in public, reckless endangerment, reckless endangerment of a child, and the attempted assault of a police officer. You have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be…"_

" _NATSU!" Zeref raged, his voice eclipsing Igneel's._

" _NATSU!"_

 _NATSU!_

 _ **NATSU!**_

With a jolt, Natsu bolted upright with a gasp. He quickly regretted the action, however, as he slumped forward with a groan and pressed his hand to forehead.

It had been a long time since he'd gotten high and he'd forgotten what it felt like coming down. But back in high school he hadn't been taking a mind altering drug that made his senses go haywire; just the usual shit like weed and the occasional pill. He'd sometimes throw alcohol into the mix. That always made things… _interesting_. Hell, it was how his first time getting laid had gone and when he came to, neither he nor the girl he'd been with remembered much. Minus the kinky fun stuff.

Eventually Igneel had caught on and summarily straightened him out…after a thorough ass whooping, of course. He'd stuck to weed then, only coming home when he was sure he didn't smell like the crap. Igneel's death however, combined with his desire to become a cop, had made him stop completely. He hadn't touched a narcotic since until last night.

Still, compared to the after effects of Vice, Natsu wished they'd smoked a joint or two the night before instead. His head was pounding in time with his pulse, he was sore-especially his eyes-and the tips of his fingers and toes along with the length of his spine tingled like they were recovering from pins and needles. When licked his lips, he nearly gagged; they were dry as all hell. Same for his mouth and throat. He wanted nothing more than to sink back under the covers and pass out for the rest of the day.

But, sadly, he knew that wouldn't happen-it never did when he woke up from his dreams-and resigned himself to cracking his neck and taking in his surroundings. It took him a minute to remember the events of last night; the trip to Fairy Tail, the fight between McNamara and Elfman, the dance, and his time with…

"Lisanna." Natsu whispered to himself.

The shifting of fabric and a sleepy moan made him look to his left to find Lisanna curled up under the bedsheets. At some point while they were passed out, one of them had pulled the bedsheets up. She looked almost cat like, he thought with amusement, remembering her outfit from the night before.

Natsu looked to the bedside clock and saw that is was quarter to ten in the morning. He vaguely remembered that it was around midnight that he and Lisanna had passed out from their romp in the sack. Natsu blushed heavily as he remembered how her sweat slick skin felt against his, her tight and wet warmth, the sounds he elicited from her.

But, more to the point, he remembered how the Vice had made him feel. Looking back on it, he could see how someone could get addicted to it…and how it could kill them if they took too much. He didn't feel especially groggy or out of sorts. He checked his nose, eyes, and mouth and found no blood. All he felt was a bad headache and that was it. He'd have to meet up with Gildarts and get checked out by a doctor; see what they could find.

Speaking of Gildarts…how in the hell was he going to explain all of this to him and Hisui. Natsu groaned and rubbed his temples; it was not looking to be a fun day.

"Good morning." Lisanna's soft and demure voice snapped him out of his musings.

Looking over his shoulder, he grunted a good morning in reply.

"How are you feeling?" Lisanna asked, rising and letting the bedsheets fall away. Natsu's cheeks flushed again, mentally noting how little Lisanna cared about her state of undress.

"F-Fine." Natsu managed to choke out, "Fine. Just…just have one hell of a headache. And I'm a bit sore but…"

Lisanna smiled softly and moved behind Natsu, making him tense when she began to trace her hands up and down his back. Then her hands began to knead and massage his stiff muscles; Natsu couldn't help the pleased groan that left his lips.

"You're tense…relax." She said, thumbs circling the base of his neck.

"It's always bad coming down the first time; from the Vice I mean. But the more you do it, the more you get used to it. So long as you remember not to overdo it that is. As for feeling sore…"

Lisanna's smile turned sultry and she leaned in to whisper into his ear while pressing her body flush to his.

"I think I can imagine the reason for that." Her breath fanned over his ear, making him shiver, "If it makes you feel any better, you're the first guy in a while who's made me ache this much. Usually the men or women I entertain pass out halfway through…but you, well, you left me pretty satisfied."

"I'm…I'm happy to have…helped?" Natsu managed to find his voice again. Lisanna tittered and moved her hands to his front; her right to the middle of his chest, her left trailing down his side and resting at his scar.

She frowned when she felt the old wound and looked over Natsu's shoulder to inspect it. She didn't say anything, not at first. She simply traced and stroked the scar, making Natsu squirm slightly, but her other hand held him close.

"What happened here?" She asked.

"Shrapnel." Natsu said but just as quickly bit his tongue when he felt Lisanna freeze.

" _Idiot!"_ He snapped at himself as Lisanna let him go, only for her to slowly crawl around to his front. Her hands found his shoulders and then moved up to cup his cheeks while she sat in his lap. Natsu exhaled as she settled against him and found himself unable to look away from her eyes.

"What happened?" She asked.

"The scars on your neck and cheek, I can understand. Security can be a dangerous line of work, like you said. But that scar is different."

Natsu licked his lips as his mind scrambled for a response. It was hard to think with a beautiful, naked woman sitting in his lap…not to mention his body was responding against his will.

"…It was an accident." He finally managed to say. Lisanna blinked but said nothing.

"I was a kid." He continued, "I was playing around with some fireworks with some friends. One of them fired a rocket to close to fireworks pile and before it could blow, I pushed him out of the way."

"And you took the bullet for him." Lisanna finished.

"In a manner of speaking."

"That was awfully foolish." Lisanna said, "You could have been killed."

"At the time I thought I was being pretty brave." Natsu quipped, his hands moving to hold Lisanna's hips.

"You're a regular action hero." Lisanna teased, her smirk returning.

"Why do you ask?"

Lisanna didn't answer, not immediately. Instead, she held his gaze, thumbs still smoothing over his cheeks, before she leaned in and pressed her lips to his. The kiss was soft, warm, and inviting. And Natsu couldn't help but return the kiss. When they parted, Lisanna rested her forehead against his, her eyes half lidded.

"I ask…" she said, "because like I said last night, you have my attention. My interest. You're new here and you don't exactly..."

"Scream criminal?" Natsu smirked, moving his hands from Lisanna's hips to her back.

"Criminal is such a harsh word." Lisanna said, "I would say…you don't exactly scream morally grey."

"I'll have you know my aura is red." Natsu smirked back. Lisanna giggled, a soft and cute sound.

"Smartass." She said before rising off the bed, taking Natsu's head as she did so.

"C'mon. I'll take you to the showers; I'm sure we both could use a rinse."

"Right…wait, what about our clothes?" Natsu said, looking around to see that his clothes were nowhere to be seen.

"Someone probably came in and collected them. Don't worry, they'll get back to you." Lisanna said, pointing to the security camera.

"Right…not sure how I feel about walking around stark naked." Natsu frowned to which Lisanna giggled and arched her brow.

"Seriously? You and I fucked each other senseless last night and you're embarrassed about walking around like a nudist?"

"That's not the same…" Natsu grumbled but Lisanna simply pulled him along.

There was only one guard in the hall, most likely taking care of the morning shift until the other two relieved him. He leaned against the wall, reading a newspaper, with a shotgun slung across his front. He looked up from his newspaper, gave the two of them a nod, and opened the door back to the curtained off rooms.

"Through here." Lisanna explained, "Most of this place used to be small storage so the hallways all connect to one another."

And try as he might, Natsu couldn't stop his gaze from flickering to Lisanna's shapely rear as they walked along. Lisanna looked over her shoulder, as if sensing she was being watched, and smirked.

"See something you like?" Lisanna asked and giggled when Natsu blushed in response, averting his eyes. He knew he'd been caught.

There were no sounds of pleasure this time, no soft Jazz from the speakers; only a silence that held all the charm of a crypt. It put Natsu on edge and made him expect an ambush even when he knew there'd be none. Lisanna led him to the connecting hall through a modified cargo door and after a short walk, they reached the showers. The door opened on its own, almost as if it had been expecting them, but Natsu knew someone had been watching them through the security cameras.

While the hall had been cold and utilitarian, the showers were the opposite of what he'd been expecting. Natsu had imagined he'd be entering something along the lines of a communal shower or a locker room set up…not something with warm air and looked like it belonged at a spa.

The hall was well lit albeit with a soft, warm glow from the overhead lights. Speakers mounted to the ceiling played tantric style music and the tiled floor was warm beneath his feet, giving off that spa feeling Natsu had felt. The showers were surprisingly spacious given how close they were set next to one another. A long bench stretched its way down the hall, allowing people to set clothes or toiletries on it. Hanging on the sliding doors were towels that looked just as soft and expensive as the bedsheets back in the room.

The glass of the shower doors were frosted with Fairy Tail symbol providing the only clear window into the shower. The tile inside the showers was made too look like marble and the overhead lights were warm and inviting. There were two faucet handles, recessed cutouts for shampoo and soap-which were provided-and the instead of faucets, Natsu could see that water came from the ceiling, as if were raining down on those who stood beneath it.

Once again, Natsu was left in awe at how sophisticated-and expensive-everything looked.

"Surprised?" Lisanna asked, "Like most things in the guild, the Master and the Madam spare no expense when it comes to our comfort and the comfort of our clients."

"It's a lot take in, but the pragmatic part of me is wondering if this is all being done to make you guys remember that the Master and Madam own you." Natsu said, not mincing his words.

"Oh, you're not wrong." Lisanna smiled, "We know who we belong to, but truth be told Natsu, many of the people here-myself included-don't mind."

"You don't?" Natsu asked, perplexed by Lisanna's reasoning.

Lisanna nodded as the two came to stop before a shower, "You see Natsu, I've been a part of this guild for a long time. If it weren't for this guild, my family and I would be out on the streets or worse. Yes, I've done some terrible things, but quite frankly…I don't give a shit. The world isn't all sunshine and rainbows; all law and order. In this line of work, having some sort of superficial morality won't get you anywhere; it'll get you killed.

I get paid good money, I have fun doing what I do, and if I have to kill someone to ensure I have a livelihood…if I have to kill someone who threatens the people I care about…then so be it. If you knew half of my story, you'd understand. This is my life Natsu and even though I think about it, I can't see myself anywhere else."

"Then what is your story?" Natsu asked, "Help me understand."

Lisanna smiled coyly and shook her head, "Not today. Another time, perhaps; but not this time."

Natsu sighed heavily and rubbed his neck, only for Lisanna to cup his chin and make him look at her.

"I can see that you're a man of morals Natsu…but you being here means that you're willing to let your red aura turn grey. I'm sure if you stick around long enough, you'll start to see things our way." Lisanna's smile was as dark as it was sweet.

Natsu couldn't help the feeling of unease come across him; reminded of his induction into being undercover. He prided himself on his morals and knowing he'd have to sacrifice them along the way made him wonder not for the first time if he was truly cut out for the mission. But, he had a duty to perform and he'd see it through…no matter what.

"Lisanna? I thought I heard your voice."

Natsu was snapped out of his stupor as a woman and a man stepped out of one of the neighboring showers. It looked like they had been readying to wash up when Natsu and Lisanna had entered. It took Natsu a moment to realize they were being greeted by the man and woman from the night before; the dominant master and his maid.

"Jellal, Erza." Lisanna greeted with a smile, hugging the scarlet haired woman, "Good morning to you both; you two have fun last night?"

"Caught that didn't you?" Jellal smirked, making Erza blush slightly to which Lisanna tittered.

"I was just showing Natsu around before we had a good time of our own." Lisanna replied, making Natsu rub the back of his neck. Subtly, like shame, seemed nonexistent in Fairy Tail.

"Natsu…" Erza hummed as she stepped before him, frowning when she noted Natsu was keeping his eyes averted. She smirked when she realized he was trying to be respectful.

"We're all naked here Natsu…formality has no place here." Erza said. Reluctantly, Natsu met Erza's eyes.

Natsu then noticed something he hadn't noticed the night before; Erza had an eye patch covering her right eye. But, oddly, it did nothing to detract from her beauty. The eye that was exposed was a deep, rich brown that had a hardness to it. Her gaze reminded him of his instructors gaze back from his academy days.

And she had an accent as well; her voice taking on a tone that was a blend of sultry and crisp. It was a mixture between Fiorean and Caeluman that much he could tell, though which country she hailed from, Natsu wasn't quite sure.

Erza extended her hand, "Erza Scarlet. I'm a Lieutenant to the Master and Madam here at the guild. The man behind me is my fiancé and partner, Jellal Fernandes."

"Natsu Dragneel." Natsu shook her hand, impressed by her solid grip.

"It's nice to make your acquaintance." Jellal said when he and Natsu shook hands. Natsu, although having showered around guys before, still found himself trying to be respectful and kept his eyes forward.

"Likewise." Natsu said, noting that Jellal too had an accent, his voice low but almost unnaturally smooth. The blue hair and stylized tattoo over his right eye gave him away; the people of Sin to the Far East were known for their natural blue hair and the tradition of tattooing children as a rite of passage.

"Natsu is the man who saved Sting the other day from Phantom Lord. He was brought here as a reward by Sting." Lisanna said.

"I have to admit, he's a lot different from what I imagined."

"Is that so?" Erza arched a brow, "Well, Mister Dragneel, you have our deepest appreciation and gratitude for saving one of our guild members. Perhaps we'll be able to repay the favor someday?"

"Perhaps." Natsu said as Erza sashayed past him and took Jellal's hand. It was then that Natsu got a closer look at the tattoos on their backs; the ones he had noticed the night before.

Both had stylized Bagua trigrams inked in the middle of their backs but the yin and yang were colored black and red for Erza while blue and black for Jellal. Erza's trigram was surrounded by roses and thorns, the vines winding their way down her spine to her lower back where two crossed swords lay, the word "Titania" written between the blades. For Jellal, his trigram was surrounded by a tribal design while beneath it was a grinning skull-The Reaper-over two crossed scythes; the word "Supplicium" in gothic script set beneath it.

" _Latin,"_ Natsu thought, _"Punishment, torment, and execution. Titania; Queen of the Fairies."_

"It was nice meeting you Mister Dragneel, but if you'll excuse us, Jellal and I were just about to shower. We'll see you later Lisanna?"

"Of course, Lucy and I aren't working tonight but we'll be around." Lisanna replied. She received a casual wave from Erza as she and Jellal stepped back into their stall. The sound of running water and Erza giggling was soon heard.

"Those are two you don't want to mess with." Lisanna said, "But they're not all that bad when you get to know them."

"I'll take your word for it." Natsu said wryly. Lisanna shrugged and took his hand, pulling him into the shower.

He made to protest but Lisanna had already closed the door and placed a finger to his lips.

"You wash my back, I wash yours." She smiled as she turned on the hot water. The soothing liquid rained down from above, catching the both of them. Natsu, despite himself, exhaled heavily while Lisanna sighed in bliss. She then slicked her hair back before trailing her hands down the back of her neck and to her breasts.

Natsu swallowed hard, unable to take his eyes off of her. There was something insanely erotic about seeing her like this, with the water running in rivulets and streams over her skin and curves; the way her skin flushed with the heat. The image of Lisanna writhing beneath him, skin slick with sweat, panting and moaning, flashed before his mind's eye. And try as he might, he couldn't stop himself from becoming hard.

Lisanna noticed and gave a sultry smirk. Natsu blinked and Lisanna was flush against him, her hands moving to slick his hair back, while her stomach pressed at Natsu's shaft. He shuddered at the contact and his hands held Lisanna's shoulders.

"Or," she said, "We don't have to wash right now. We can have a little morning fun."

Then her lips sealed over his and Natsu knew his self-control had faltered, much like the night before. Lisanna deepened the kiss, her tongue finding his, her arms wrapping around his neck…and Natsu pulled her close. He couldn't stop himself and even if he did, he knew Lisanna wouldn't let him get far. She was like a spider…weaving a web that took hold of him and refusing to let go. And he was caught in that web.

Lisanna pulled back so that she was pressed to the wall and sighed when Natsu's lips found her throat. She raised her legs and wrapped them around Natsu's hips, forcing him to grab her thighs for support, and shuddering when she ground her slit against his hardness.

"Lisanna…" He groaned, forehead resting against the cool tile. Lisanna switched from biting her lip to nibbling Natsu's earlobe while her hand reached out and found the hot water faucet. Steam quickly filled the stall, the added heat serving to heighten their arousal.

That same hand found its way between Natsu's legs and gently caressed before guiding him into her wet heat. Natsu's breath hitched and he made to pull back but Lisanna held firm, her legs tightening their hold on Natsu as her arms did the same.

"Lisanna…wait…" Natsu panted, "I'm not wearing…I'm not protected."

Lisanna's response was a slow, deep kiss. She rested her forehead against his when their lips parted.

"Just pull out of me." She whispered, heatedly.

"But what if…"

"It's okay…I promise." Lisanna assured, moving her hips and bringing Natsu closer. Natsu's breathe hitched and he squeezed her thighs tighter.

"Lisanna…" Natsu hissed. He felt his body begin to tremble out of nervousness while Lisanna's did so out of anticipation.

"Natsu. Take me." Lisanna said, her smile both amorous and soft all at once.

For some inexplicable reason, Natsu found himself trusting Lisanna. It might have been from his control caving in or to the sincerity and confidence in her voice. Either way, Natsu made a silent prayer to whatever God was watching over him, and gave into his and Lisanna's carnal desires. Both let out moans of ecstasy when Natsu bottomed out inside her. More so when they began to move their hips, rebuilding the rhythm from the previous night.

The sensations didn't feel as powerful as it had with the Vice, but Natsu couldn't deny that he enjoyed how Lisanna's wet skin felt as it slid beneath his hands or how their breathes seemed extra heated due to the steam.

It was one hell of a way to start his day.

XXXX

 _ **Afternoon…**_

 _ **Natsu's apartment…**_

By the time Natsu and Lisanna had finished their little escapade in the shower, it was half past eleven. Knowing he had to get back home and call in with Gildarts and Hisui, Natsu had been surprised when he stepped out of the shower when he found his clothes waiting for him. He didn't complain as he toweled off and dressed, Lisanna doing the same.

She then had escorted him back to the main elevator where a security detail was waiting to escort him back to the surface. Before leaving, however, Lisanna had kissed him on the cheek and asked if he would be back anytime soon. Natsu in turn said he'd give it some thought to which Lisanna smiled sweetly. Then he was blindfolded and handcuffed once more and taken topside; he didn't have a panic attack this time though.

The Fairy Tail guards brought him back to the parking garage where his car awaited him. By the time he got back home and had something to eat-to which Natsu noted how hungry he was-it was almost one in the afternoon. Checking his phone, Natsu found to his surprise that he had only two messages awaiting him. One was from Sting, asking about how his night had went, while the other was from Gildarts, instructing Natsu that he and Hisui would be awaiting his call…provided he was alive of course.

Natsu quickly phoned in to which he was quickly answered.

"Natsu!?" Gildarts tense voice asked, "Natsu, is that you!?"

"Right here boss. I'm home and in one piece." Natsu replied.

"Oh thank God." Hisui breathed with audible relief. Gildarts exhaled heavily.

"Worried much?" Natsu asked with a chuckle.

"Hell yeah we were worried." Gildarts said, "I was awake all night because the director here wouldn't stop buzzing me for status updates. Even when she knew you couldn't answer your phone."

"I still had a right to be worried. If something had happened to Agent Dragneel, we wouldn't have known about it until it was too late." Hisui defended.

"And I kept telling you there was nothing we could've done. We had to wait for Natsu and hope for the best."

"Sorry to worry you guys but I'm here now." Natsu said, "I'm tired as all hell but I'm still here."

Hisui sighed, "In the end, that's all that matters."

"As relieved as I am to know that you're safe Natsu, we need to debrief you on what you saw and did last night at Fairy Tail. Care to fill us in?" Gildarts asked.

"Sir." Natsu said, curt and to the point.

"I successfully made contact with Sting Eucliffe of Fairy Tail and was taken to the guild itself. I was blindfolded and disoriented when I was taken to the guild so as of this moment, I have no idea where it is. I can tell you that it is somewhere underground, a renovated storage facility of some kind."

"That's a detail we can use." Gildarts said, "But, many warehouses and factories used to practice that kind of thing back in the day so we may be looking for a while."

"It's a detail none the less," Hisui said, "please continue."

"Right…after arriving at Fairy Tail, I was given the VIP treatment by Sting and his friend, Rogue. Man Gildarts, if you saw all the crazy shit that goes on at this place you'd be blown away."

"I can probably guess." Gildarts said wryly, "Did you see anyone you recognize from our files? People we've arrested before or have active warrants."

"No…" Natsu shook his head before wringing his hands, "But…Gildarts, Director…Thom McNamara was there."

"…Thom McNamara? As in ADA McNamara?" Gildarts hesitantly asked.

"Agent Dragneel are you sure?" Hisui also inquired.

"I'm sure. I'd recognize the man anywhere. As it turns out, he wasn't as morally strong as we've come to believe. Turns out according to Sting, the man has a coke habit and is as corrupt as some of the worst scumbags we've locked up in the past. But I should be saying 'was' instead of 'is' though." Natsu lamented.

"How so?" Hisui asked.

"The man was doing coke last night when I saw him and he assaulted one of the waitresses. He broke the rules of Fairy Tail and had the ever living shit beaten out of him before he was dragged off. One of the guys he was with had his neck snapped when he tried to help McNamara. Gildarts…Director…I have a feeling that ADA McNamara is dead."

There was a pregnant pause on the end of the line before Gildarts sighed heavily.

"We know Natsu, we know." Gildarts said, "We're keeping it hush hush for now but ADA McNamara's body was taken out of the river earlier this morning; a jogger found him and one of his coworkers floating in the water. We just got the autopsy results back an hour ago. ADA McNamara died from multiple gunshot wounds at close range but not before receiving the mother of all beatings. Toxicology found both alcohol and cocaine in his system."

Natsu sighed heavily and shook his head, massaging his temples as he did so.

"Were you going to tell me this?" Natsu asked.

"Yes, but we had no reason to believe he was connected to Fairy Tail…until you told us all of this, of course." Hisui replied bitterly.

"We thought that McNamara had been killed by someone he'd wronged in the past-a previous conviction or something like that-and that the cocaine was used as a way to tarnish his image in death. But it appears that theory can be tossed out the window."

"Geeze, what a mess this'll turn into. People are going to start to question the legitimacy of the DA's officer and people are going to file appeals and retrials up the wazoo." Gildarts groaned.

"Let the Intelligence Directorate handle that; we'll think of a cover story to hold things over. In the meantime, let's stay focused. Agent Dragneel…?"

"Let's see. After McNamara got dragged off, we were treated to an erotic dance and when that ended, I went to the bar. But I had apparently caught the eye of one of the dancers during the course of the show and she sought me out. Said I interested her because I was an unfamiliar face."

"Her name?" Gildarts asked.

"Lisanna Strauss." Natsu replied.

"What happened when Miss Struass met up with you?" Hisui asked.

"Sting had offered to give me a tour of the guild but had become occupied after I left him and Rogue. So, Lisanna showed me around in his stead. I have to admit Gildarts, their operation is a lot more sophisticated than I had originally thought. Although I was only shown some of the…pleasure rooms, Lisanna alluded to the fact that there was more to the guild than just being a den of sin and pleasure. After that Lisanna took me back to one of the rooms and…well…we kind of had sex."

Natsu felt his cheeks warm, still slightly in shock over all that occurred over the night and during the morning.

"Excuse you?" Hisui asked, her tone giving away her surprise.

"Yeah, we had sex. And she kind of offered me drugs to help enhance the experience. Not wanting to blow my cover, I accepted and-"

"Wait, wait, wait; let me get this straight," Gildarts interrupted, "not only did you have sex with this woman from Fairy Tail but you also took drugs…to have mind blowing sex with this woman."

"Yeah, that's pretty much sums it up when you put it that way." Natsu grunted.

He could feel his headache returning anew. He really, really didn't want to go into detail about his romp in the sheets last night…and from this morning.

Gildarts was silent for a minute but then he began to chuckle. The amused sort of chuckle one gets when they're trying to contain their laughter.

"Oh for the love of God man, seriously?" Natsu groaned, running his hand through his hair.

"Agent Clive." Hisui scolded but that only egged the man on his chuckling turned into full hearted laughter. The sound of his office door being quickly pulled open was heard.

"HEY EVERYONE!" Gildarts called out, "SALAMANDER GOT LAID LAST NIGHT!"

"OOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHH!" Was the collective and triumphant cry unleashed by the members of the SD4N. Given the volume of the others, Natsu imagined Gildarts was holding his phone out into the office.

"And get this, he had some party favors too!" Gildarts cackled, using the code phrase for drug usage. That sent the narcotics agents into a fervor.

"OH SHIT!" Came the collective cry once more, followed by individual responses.

"Holy shit man, I didn't know you had it in you!"

"I want details man; I want all the details!"

"Did you hear Stairway to Heaven!?"

"Did you pass Alice and the Caterpillar on your way down!?"

"Was she hot!?"

"Who said anything about Salamander being with a 'she' dude!?"

"Hahaha! You just made me forty bucks richer boss!"

"Son of a bitch! Salamander, you owe me forty bucks; you suck!"

Gildarts closed the door to his office and sat back down, cackling all the while. Even then, Natsu could still hear the others outside the office.

"I hate you; I legitimately _fucking_ hate you right now. And you were betting on me?" Natsu asked, tightly.

"Hey, unlike the rest of us, this was your first undercover gig. We've all had to do things that put us out of our comfort zone and we wanted to bet on what would happen to you first. Would you do drugs and not risk blowing your cover or would you have to beat the pulp out of some poor sap. Either way, you owe Phantom forty bucks now." Gildarts finished with a snigger.

"Truth be told I didn't think you'd get that far in one night. It was weeks before I was offered drugs when I was undercover. Hell, it was a full year before I slept with a woman. And here you go doing it all in one night; I'm impressed man."

"Can we move on? Please?" Natsu ran his hands down his face before resting it in them. He was not in the mood to put up with S.A.C's shit today. On any other day he would've busted the man's balls two fold and call it even. But today wasn't one of those days.

"Agent Clive, stay focused." Hisui said, her irritation plain for all to hear.

But Gildarts being…well…Gildarts, ignored the intelligence director and instead asked:

"So, how'd it go? Was she on top? Did you do her from behind? She have any weird kinks?" Gildarts asked.

"Oh wait, don't tell me; she's into anal isn't she?"

"DUDE, WHAT THE FUCK!?" Natsu yelled, horrified by his bosses lack of tact.

"What? It's a legitimate question." Gildarts defended.

"AGENT CLIVE!" Hisui gasped in shock.

"Sorry…I'm sorry…" Gildarts sniggered, but then, "Wait a minute; no I'm not!"

Gildarts slapped his knee and began to cackle once more. Then came the sound of him falling out of his chair and his cackling continued in earnest.

Natsu let out an irritated growl and grabbed his sidearm off the table, racking the slide as he did so.

"Hey Gildarts, I've been wondering if it's possible to shoot someone over the phone; care to help me find out you fucking creep!?"

"BOTH OF YOU, SHUT THE HELL UP AND CALM THE FUCK DOWN. _NOW_!" Hisui snapped, the irritation and frustration in her voice finally boiling over.

Both men were quickly silenced while the sound of Hisui taking calming breathes filled the phones speaker before she finally spoke.

"Now that that's settled, Agent Dragneel, would you please tell us what narcotics you took last night. We need to assess whether or not if you've harmed your body accordingly. We don't need a dead agent on our hands, not this early into the investigation."

Natsu sighed heavily and set his gun back down, "Vice. I took Vice."

There was a moment's pause before his superiors found their voices again.

"Natsu, you mean to tell me you took the same drug that we're investigating?" Gildarts asked, "And that it was offered to you free of cost?"

"Well, Lisanna told me point blank what it was. I couldn't believe it myself and initially didn't want to take it, given what we know about it. But, for the sake of my keeping my cover, I took it." Natsu replied.

"Describe it." Hisui pressed, "Spare no details. Our knowledge on Vice is limited as is and what we do know of it, we only garnered from the samples we collected and toxicology reports from the deceased."

"Well…the Vice I had was in liquid form. Doesn't have that much of a taste but it works within seconds of ingestion." Natsu explained.

"It literally takes your senses and turns the hypersensitivity up to max. Increased heart rate and breathing followed by…euphoria. You can see very little detail, hear the beating of someone else's heart, and every touch sends of jolt up your spine. It felt good…more than it should have. But, my head became so overloaded that it was hard to focus on any one thing. At least I know why people OD on this shit; it's powerful."

Hisui hummed while the sound of Gildarts writing on a notepad could be heard, "Anything else."

"…I don't know how but I think color has something to do with the drug's effects on the senses. When Lisanna and I were…making love, the lights in the room were purple and things were hot and heavy between us. But then the lights turned red and things got turned up a notch. I felt…aggressive and when I looked into Lisanna's eyes, her sclera had turned black. The same happened with me, I presume."

"Interesting…" Hisui hummed, "somehow, the drug's potency is either amplified or reduced in certain forms of lighting. This is a detail we'll have to pass along to intel and see if our experts can provide any insight. Do you have anything else to add Agent Dragneel?"

"No, not at the moment." Natsu replied.

"I see. Agent Dragneel, I want you to head downtown to the medical examiner's office and get checked out. If there's a chance that the Vice is still in your system, we may finally be able to get some answers as to how this drug truly affects the human body. Agent Clive, I want you present for this."

"Understood mam." Gildarts said, "I'll let the doc's know we're coming in and have them prioritize their findings."

"See to it." Hisui said "Notify me as soon as you have your answers."

"Yes mam." The two agents said together and Hisui hung up her phone.

"…You do realize I'm going to get you for that stunt you pulled earlier, right?" Natsu said, knowing Gildarts was still on the line.

"It was worth it. So worth it." Gildarts cackled and hung up.

Natsu sighed heavily and ran his hand down his face. That man was going to be the death of him one of these days. He just hoped that the Doc's downtown would be able to give them some good news when they ran his bloodwork.

XXXX

 _ **Three hours later…**_

"Nothing."

"What do you mean nothing?" Gildarts asked as he snatched the file out of the medical examiners hands and began to flip through it.

"It's just as I said," The doctor said, shooting Gildarts a scathing look, "nothing. To be fair, those are just the preliminary tests but if they're anything to go by, the fully detailed report will be no different.

Three hours. After three hours of having his blood drawn, submitting a urine sample, and being poked and prodded…they had nothing to show for it. Natsu suppressed a groan of frustration and massaged his forehead, feeling a headache forming. At this rate he'd need something other than ibuprofen to stop those from coming on.

"Doctor, I know enough about drugs to know that they leave some trace in the human body." Natsu said.

"You've got to give us something."

The doctor simply shrugged and shook his head, "I'm as baffled as you are. You are correct in the fact that narcotics do leave some trace evidence behind in the body. But not this bad boy. Whatever you ingested Agent, I can't find it."

"Shit." Gildarts sighed, "What can you tell us."

"…Well," the doctor began, "my best guess is that this drug metabolizes at an extremely high rate. So high in fact that there's nothing left behind in the bloodstream or in the urine. The samples that have been collected already have additives to them so it's hard to get a reading on what this substance truly is. We'd need a pure sample in order to get definitive answers. As for the symptoms you described, my best guess is that the additives provide the high while the base substance is what forms the catalyst for the sensory overload."

"What about the eyes turning black? I've never seen that happen before." Natsu asked.

"I'm not really sure to be honest. It may be a side effect of your senses being overly stimulated."

"How come you found the Vice in the deceased but didn't find it in Natsu?" Gildarts pressed, "Those people overdosed on this shit and died from it."

"Well, like I said, Agent Dragneel was able to metabolize the drug and thus it became absorbed and diffused in his body. A warm, living body. We only found the narcotic in the deceased because they were deceased; they hadn't had time to properly metabolize the drug." The doctor explained.

"Look, as of this moment, I have no concrete answers to give you. Bring me something definitive and maybe-just maybe-I'll be able to get you some answers."

Gildarts and Natsu sighed heavily but nodded reluctantly.

"Thanks for your help doc." Gildarts said, received a pat on his shoulder, and the doctor returned to his office.

The two were quiet before Gildarts slammed his hand onto the nearby wall, "Fuck!"

"Well that was a waste of time." Natsu bit out, crossing his arms as he sat down in a nearby chair.

"The Director isn't going to be happy about this." Gildarts added as he began to pace.

"We take two steps forward only end up back where we started. And here I was thinking you taking this shit may very well help break this case."

"Hey, I'm the one being sent into the meat grinder here; not you." Natsu glowered, "And I really don't want to end up on one of the doc's slabs because I OD'd on this shit."

"If you pace yourself and don't get addicted, you won't have to worry about ending up on the slab."

"Easier said than done." Natsu huffed.

"It sucks, I know. But that is the reality of this case. You just have to hold your ground and power on."

"What else is new?"

The two were silent for a moment, both thinking of their next move. It was obvious that Natsu would have to get a pure sample of Vice in order for them to make any headway in the case. Problem was, he couldn't sneak out with a bottle of the stuff as that would undoubtedly get him caught or worse, and he wasn't close enough to the Fairy Tail members to get access to the pure product. Which meant he'd have to go back to Fairy Tail. Back into the sin, lust, and corruption.

"…I'll call Sting." Natsu said, taking out his phone and Sting's card, "I was told I was welcomed back by Lisanna but I'm not sure what the entry fee will be."

By entry fee, he meant he'd either have to pay his way in or do someone at the Guild a favor. And he really didn't want to owe anyone this early on.

"I'll allocate some funds to your bank account so you're not bled completely dry." Gildarts said as Natsu dialed Sting.

The phone rang once again, followed by the dial up tone and decryption, before ringing again. Just as Natsu thought the phone was going to voice mail, Sting answered.

"Hello?" Sting's voice sounded strained and almost of breath; like he was in the middle of a work out.

"Sting, its Natsu."

"Oh! Hey man, what's going on?" Sting said, his voice having his usual pep before he let out a sharp grunt.

"I'm fine…still recovering from last night." Natsu said, becoming hesitant when he realized Sting's grunts and shallow breathes were also mingling with that of a woman's.

"Sting…" the woman gasped, "Sting!"

"Shit Yukino, you're not making this easy for me are you?" Sting said, obviously trying to balance out his… _activities_ while talking to Natsu.

"Am I interrupting something?" Natsu asked before thinking, _"Please say yes, please say yes."_

"No…no, just a little preoccupied that's all. But, I can talk. So…how'd last night go?"

"…It was, nicer than what I was expecting." Natsu said, wincing when Yukino let out a string of curses before her breathing began to hitch.

"Lisanna said as much." Sting chuckled, "Said you handled Vice like a champ and made her a very happy woman. Not bad for a newcomer."

"Thanks, I guess." Natsu replied, "Listen, you said you'd look into finding me some work; that you'd speak to your guild master? I'm interested in coming back and seeing what you guys have to offer."

"Harder!" Yukino cried out, " _Harder_! Sting, please!"

"Naughty Yuki'," Sting chuckled darkly before pepping up once more, "Yeah, sorry man, I wasn't able to speak with the Master last night. But, why don't Rogue and I pick you up again in a few days and treat you like we did last night. Only, this time, I'm sure I'll be able to speak with the Master and get you a meeting with him.

"Yeah…that works for me." Natsu winced and pulled his phone away from his ear slightly as the sounds of Sting and Yukino's lovemaking reached a fever pitch.

"Sounds like a plan man!" Sting said, his breath coming out in a rush, "Listen man, I'll talk you later alright!?"

"Yeah," Natsu winced as Yukino finally reached her breaking point, "See you soon."

Natsu promptly hung up. He didn't want to hear the climax of that conversation; both literally and figuratively.

"Having fun was he?" Gildarts asked, brow arched, "I could hear him over the phone."

"I didn't ask." Natsu said, "Either way, I'm heading back to Fairy Tail in a few days; Sting said he'll get me a meeting with the Guild Master and see what happens from there."

Natsu promptly turned on his heel and made his for the doctor's office.

"Where are you going?" Gildarts asked.

"To see if the doc can disinfect my ears or give me something to wipe my mind," Natsu said over his shoulder, "I could've gone my whole life without hearing that!"

XXXX

 _ **Four days later…**_

 _ **Fairy Tail Guild, 8:55 PM…**_

Like the first time, the elevator came to a stop, the hood and handcuffs were removed, and Natsu found himself descending back to the entrance of Fairy Tail. And once again, he was in the company of Sting and Rogue.

"Told you we'd be seeing you again." Sting grinned and wrapped his arm around Natsu's shoulders, urging him forward.

"Once you get a taste of Fairy Tail, you never want to go to anyone else. Sure Blue Pegasus can offer you quality service and Jenny and Sherry are a blast in the sheets, but we cater to a wider variety of kinks."

"There's a reason we're the alphas in a city of wolves." Rogue added, "Things here weren't like they were at Sabertooth."

"You were part of another crime guild?" Natsu asked to which Rogue nodded.

"We were, once. Until our old master ran afoul of Master Makarov and sealed Sabertooth's fate. Sting and I were a handful of others who were smart enough to see the writing on the walls and changed sides. When all was said and done…we belonged to Fairy Tail."

" _So Father Buchanan was right about other guilds being integrated into Fairy Tail,_ " Natsu thought before asking, "Has anyone else joined Fairy Tail like that?"

"Not like that, no." Sting answered, "We were one of the exceptions. Lamia Scale and Mermaid Heel, for example, used to be pretty big guilds until Raven Tail, Grimoire Heart, and Phantom Lord cut them down to size. Seeing as how they needed protection lest they all die, Master Makarov and Madam Porlyusica made those two guilds an offer they couldn't survive. Join up with Fairy Tail or be left to deal with others."

"They took the offer, I assume?" Natsu asked to which Sting grinned.

"In a heartbeat." Sting said, "The Madam and Master tried the same with Quatro Cerberus but they were arrogant enough to think they'd last against The Bad Three."

"But it was that thinking that proved to be their undoing." Rogue added, "Now Quatro Cerberus is no more and their only surviving member is a drunkard who works as a gun for hire. Backhaus, I think his name was."

Sting sniggered, "Remember that time he got Cana blackout drunk and tried to steal her bra? Same with Mira? Man, I've never seen Laxus and Elfman so pissed! The bartenders still find a tooth ever now and then."

"He learned his lesson, didn't he?" Rogue quipped to which Sting gave a lackadaisical smirk.

"And you guys, I mean, the other guilds are okay with being taken over by Fairy Tail?" Natsu asked.

"It pays to be on the winning side Natsu." Rogue said, "Aside from Blue Pegasus, and The Bad Three, Fairy Tail is poised to be not just the leading guild in Magnolia but the whole country. If we manage to gain control of all the crime guilds in Fiore, there's no telling how far we'd be able to go. Think of the possibilities."

He had, to be honest, and so had his superiors.

The thought of a single guild controlling all the crime, as harsh as it sounded, was an appealing thought to the higher ups in the federal police and government. One group, instead of multiple gangs and guilds killing each other, meant the feds and government could deal with and manage crime. Yes, concession would have to be made but for the peace that could be ensured on the streets, it was something worth working towards. There would never be a surefire way to end all crime, to think that there was a way to do so was foolish. But, if a deal could be reached or at least an understanding, then life would be easier…to a certain degree.

Natsu, personally, viewed all criminals in the same light and was content with locking up those that he could and blasting the ones that deserved it. To help one group control all of the crime in the country was a bit like playing devil's advocate since a side had to be chosen and favors had to be owed. But, then again, what did he know? He was just an undercover agent trying to stop a drug from tearing the city apart.

"Sooner or later someone is going to have to make a move." Sting said, snapping Natsu out of his thoughts. Sting's phone buzzed and he checked the text, sparing Natsu a quick glance before he answered. Natsu arched his brow but Sting simply smirked.

"And when that time comes; all of hell is going to break loose. And I can't wait to see who comes out on top."

"You're crazy, you know that right?" Natsu asked to which Sting cackled.

"'We're all mad here.'" Said Sting, "'I'm mad. You're mad.'"

"Alice in Wonderland," Natsu said with a smirk, "I didn't think you were that cultured Sting."

The man shrugged, "When we were kids, Yukino would read to me; helped me sleep at night."

"Yukino?" Natsu asked.

"My girl. You'll meet her soon enough."

The elevator came to a stop and the door opened and once again, Natsu was guided into Fairy Tail.

"Tell me Sting," Natsu asked as they disembarked, "'How do you know I'm mad?'"

Sting grinned again, "'You must be or you wouldn't have come here.'"

The two guards from before were on duty tonight but Elfman wasn't present. In his stead were two new guards; one with long green hair, rather prim looking, and another with a unique mohawk and wild eyes.

"Freed, Bickslow," Rogue greeted, "shouldn't you be with Laxus?"

"Laxus is currently handling some business for the Master and Madam and is out of town at the moment." Freed answered as he ran a detector baton over Natsu.

"Does that mean the other el tee's are with him too?" Sting asked.

"Nah, it's only him and Mira this time." Bickslow answered with a grin, "I think they might have taken Lisanna along too."

"Lisanna?" Natsu asked, surprised, to which Sting nodded.

"She's a marksman and a damn good one at that. If Laxus and Mira took her with them, they must be expecting trouble. You'd never know it but Lisanna is practically an artist with an M82; she can make your life miserable if you cross her the wrong way."

"That girl might be crazier than me," Bickslow continued to grin, sticking out his tongue to reveal Fairy Tail emblem on it.

"And that's saying a lot."

"Well at least you admit it." Freed sighed as he finished patting down Natsu, "He's clean."

"I didn't know Lisanna knew how to shoot." Natsu said aloud, _"More to the point, I never would have guessed her to be a sniper. Nor that she-that Fairy Tail-use Barrett fifty cal's. Where the hell did they even get one of those!?"_

"Natsu, odds are that at least everyone in this guild knows how to kill in one form or another." Sting said, "We're a small army unto ourselves."

"I'll keep that in mind," Natsu licked his lips, "by the way, where's Elfman. He was here around this time last time I came in."

"Eh, he and Evergreen got into an argument again and odds are they're fucking each other senseless to make up for it." Bickslow drew a cigarette from his blazer and lit it.

"I think that woman just likes getting a rise out of Elfman. Makes him rough her up just the way she likes it."

"I didn't need to know that." Natsu was unable to suppress his shudder, making Sting cackle while Rogue sympathetically pat his shoulder.

"Come, let's leave the lunatics to their antics. I'm sure you're here for more…thrilling delights."

The two escorted Natsu back into Fairy Tail and once again, the place was packed. Only this time it wasn't as disorienting and Natsu found that he was able to get a better appreciation for the place.

"So," Natsu asked, "where will it be this time? The stage, the back, or the bar? Or…"

Natsu looked to Sting, "Am I finally going to get that meeting with your boss?"

"Straight to the point." Sting smiled, "You've got spunk man I'll give you that. Master Makarov is busy at the moment but he's willing to meet with you later, most likely tomorrow morning. In the meantime…we've got a little treat for you to keep you occupied in the meantime; it seems you've caught the eye of someone besides Lisanna. Rogue, take Natsu to one of the VIP rooms and get him settled in."

"Who?" Natsu asked to which Sting shrugged.

"You'll see." And with that, Natsu was led away down to the second tier and to the right side of the guild.

Sting stood there for a moment, watching the debauchery around him, the dancers and their audiences, and took a flute of champagne what a passing waitress offered one to him. After downing half his glass, he spoke.

"You know Max doesn't like it what you borrow his phone." Sting said.

"And yet he lets me use it anyways." A honey sweet voice said as a woman with golden blonde hair came to his side.

"Not dancing tonight Lucy?" Sting asked.

"Only for our esteemed VIP." Lucy smiled in a sultry manner, "Who, if I might add, I am rather eager to meet. Lisanna had nothing but good things to say about him and I want to see if he holds up to what she told me."

"Go easy on him," Sting said, finishing his drink, "the Master wants to meet him tomorrow so don't wear him out."

"No promises." Lucy smiled, "But I'll do my best."

With that, she sashayed away into the crowd, intent on catching up with prey. Sting couldn't help the chuckle that escaped his lips; Natsu was in for a wild ride tonight.

XXXX

 _ **VIP Suites…**_

Like the pleasure suites from before, Natsu noted the layout to the opposite side of Fairy Tail was the same to its other half. Only, for this hall, the lighting was a subdued purple and the doors to the rooms were painted black. All the doors were still electronically locked and camera's watched his every move, however. And the guards were armed; this time by a woman wielding an AKMS rifle. It seemed firepower went hand in hand with this Guild as much as its lack of shame did.

Rogue produced the key card this time and gestured Natsu to enter.

"Wait here," Rogue said, "you're host will be with you shortly."

"My host?" Natsu asked but Rogue had closed the door without a word.

"I'm not really sure what to think of that guy." Natsu said aloud as he took in the new room. Instead of purple, the lighting was blue for this room.

It was the same size as the room he had shared with Lisanna only the furnishings were different. The queen size bed was circular shaped and low to the floor but still sported the expensive looking bedsheets. Natsu ran his hand along the fabrics and they were pleasingly soft to the touch. Dark colored drapes hung from the walls, absorbing what little white light remained from the wall mounted lamps and muting the tantric music that filled the room.

An elegant looking clock was set above the bed, the intricate and exposed cogs and gears silently ticking away.

The throw rug on the floor was of an oriental design, the dresser with mirror was on his left, and the table was also of low design with pillow soft mats taking the place of chairs. Pleasant smelling incense burned on the tale and instead of a bottle of Vice, there was a small silver case in its place. Natsu had a feeling it was Vice but as to what form, he wasn't sure.

 _Black lace underneath her clothes  
Black lace  
Black lace underneath her clothes  
Black lace_

 _Got the type of body that leaves a birthmark  
Got the type of body that don't look good  
In the dark  
Look good In the dark  
Ooh Ooh_

The music had changed, playing July Talk again, and Natsu felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. Something was about to happen.

The lock on the door made an audible beep and click and opened. Natsu turned around and double blinked when his eyes landed on the woman standing before him while the door snapped shut behind her.

She was tall and slim, with a generous bust and soft curves. Her long golden hair cascaded down her back in waves while the two bangs that framed her heart shaped face were curled. Her doe like, chocolate brown eyes were lined with kohl and dark lilac eyeshadow. Her lips, curled in a smirk, glinted like rubies in the soft light while blush added additional warmth to her marble smooth skin. Her ears glinted with diamond and silver.

She wore black and purple lingerie; all lace, all temptation. A ribbon choker was fitted around her neck, drawing his attention to the dip in her throat, while another ribbon was wrapped around her wrist and wound its way up the length of her arm. The demi bra she wore was almost see through and barely contained her breasts which looked ready to spill out. Her hands and arms were covered by elbow length gloves and she wore a lacy thong over her garter belt and stockings. Her stiletto heels softly tapped on the floor as she made her way to him…and began to circle. Like a shark sizing up prey.

"I know you," Natsu said, finding his voice, "you're Lisanna's partner. The one I saw dancing with her when I first came here a few nights ago."

"And you," the woman hummed, "Are Natsu Dragneel. I'm Lucy Heartfilia."

"It's nice to meet you." Natsu swallowed hard when Lucy traced her fingers down his back.

"Oh, the pleasure is all mine." Lucy smiled as she came around to his front, her hand lingering on his shoulder.

"Lisanna told me all about the fun the two of you had the other night and I must say, I was impressed by what I heard."

Natsu felt his cheeks heat, "Sh-She told you about all of that?"

"Lisanna's my best friend; she tells me a lot of things Mister Dragneel."

"I prefer Natsu, thank you." Natsu said as he rubbed the back of his neck, his nervous tick once again making a return.

Lucy giggled, "You're cute when you blush. Oh, another thing Lisanna was right about."

"Right…" Natsu said, "So, how much did she tell you?"

Lucy's smirk was both teasing and sultry at the same time, "She told me how much of a shock all this was to you. She told me how adverse you were to trying Vice…and how much you changed once you had some. You seemed to handle yourself well, not many firs timers can hold out that long."

"Thanks, I guess." Natsu said, crossing his arms. Lucy chuckled; a soft, melodic sound.

"She also told me about your hardware, how good you made her feel, and how much of animal you became when the red light came on. She and I have spent plenty of time in bed together and even I couldn't get her to squirt like that and-"

"I get the point." Natsu said, his face turning beet red, as he stressed, _"I get the point_. There's no secrets between you two."

Lucy laughed this time and covered her mouth with the back of her hand, "Oh you are just too much. Your modesty is as cute as it is admirable. Yes Natsu, we don't hide much from each other and that modesty both she and I mentioned is something you should do away with when you come here."

Lucy trailed her fingers across his collar bone before crossing her own arms beneath her breasts, giving them a slight bounce. Natsu cursed himself for letting his eyes linger a second too long.

"In case you haven't noticed Natsu, modesty has no place in a guild like Fairy Tail. Sin, pleasure, and pain are the rules we live by here."

"What can I say, my father raised me to be a good man." Natsu quipped making Lucy smirk once more.

"A daddy's boy huh?" Lucy said, "Is that one of your kinks."

"Hardly." Natsu scoffed.

"I believe you. Then, pray tell, what are your kinks?"

"What makes you think I have any worth sharing?" Natsu asked, arching a brow.

"Everyone has a kink or two Natsu," Lucy chuckled, "it's just a matter of finding out which ones make us tick. Which ones can make for an exciting time here at Fairy Tail."

Natsu shifted on his feet and realized his legs were pressed against the foot of the bed. When had that happened?

"Why are you here, Lucy?" Natsu asked.

Lucy leaned forward, pressing herself up against Natsu, and reveling in the feeling of him tensing. She looked forward to getting him to loosen up.

"You interest me." Lucy whispered, her warm breath fanning against his ear. She then pulled back so that she and Natsu were nose to nose; his eyes wide while hers were half lidded with seduction.

"Like Lisanna, you interest me. Lisanna took a liking to you, you treated her with respect and didn't act like most of the guys she's been with; ordinarily, that'd be good enough for me. But, Sting has also taken a liking to you. Even when he told you he was part of the guild, you still went out of your way to save him. Sting is a good friend of mine, same as he is to Lisanna. Lisanna expressed her gratitude to you for saving Sting and also expressed her interest in you…now it's my turn to return the favor."

And with that, Lucy leaned in, and pressed her lips to Natsu's. Natsu double blinked before letting out a startled gasp of surprise. Lucy seized the opportunity to let her tongue brush against Natsu's; she was rewarded with a shudder and he, a pleased hum. His hands found her shoulders while her arms wrapped around his neck, pressing her weight into him, causing Natsu to fall back onto the bed and taking her with him.

Lucy pulled back, only slightly, while resting her forehead against Natsu's. A small string of saliva connected their mouths.

"Wait…Wait a minute…" Natsu panted, trying to push away. But Lucy didn't let him; her knees locked onto his hips, while her hands traded his neck for his wrists.

"Relax," she whispered, "relax."

"Lucy…"

"You weren't acting like this when you were with Lisanna." Lucy smirked.

"That was-"

"Different?" Lucy interjected, "From what I see…"

Lucy shifted her hips, making Natsu gasp while she smirked, "…And feel, you're not minding this in the least."

Natsu grunted when Lucy grabbed his wrists and pushed his arms back above his head with ease. She was stronger than she looked.

"I'm not…I don't…" Natsu managed to say but Lucy silenced him when she dipped her head down and ran her tongue across his pulse. That served to choke him up.

"You're at Fairy Tail, Natsu." Lucy said, "Any decency you think you have was left topside when you entered the elevator. C'mon; relax. Have some fun. Take a trip on the dark side."

She licked and nipped at his pulse, making him grunt and squirm beneath her before trailing feather light kisses across his jaw and back to the seam of his lips.

"Just give into this Natsu. It's not that hard." Lucy whispered, her breath mingling with Natsu's.

And when her lips sealed over his once again, Natsu felt his control waver again. He couldn't stop it; couldn't help. There was something intoxicating about Lucy-just as it had been with Lisanna-that made him falter and give into the warm desire that heated his veins.

Their kisses were slow, testing, but passionate all the same. Lucy's hands still held his wrists and her tongue dominated his, no matter how much he tried to gain the upper hand. She'd even gently tug on his lower lip with her teeth or graze her canines against the skin of his throat. It was only when they stopped to catch their breath did Natsu try one last attempt at breaking free of Lucy's hold.

"Master Makarov. I'm supposed to meet with him tonight." Natsu said, hoping the mention of her bosses name would get Lucy to calm down somewhat. He wasn't that lucky.

"The Master is a patient man, Natsu. He can wait." Lucy pushed herself up, her hands dragging down Natsu's chest while she straddled his hips.

"For you, he'll make the time. With that in mind, Mister Dragneel, tell me…" Lucy said with coquettish toss of her hair as her sultry smile returned.

"What is your vice?"

 _My girl, my girl is black lace  
My girl, my girl is black lace_

XXXX

A/N: Enter, Lucy Heartfilia. So, what did you guys think of her introduction…and the impending steaminess she and Natsu will have next chapter?

Another question; would any of you like to offer what you think Natsu's vice is? Did you catch any subtle-or not so subtle-hints? Let me know what ya'll think!

This chapter was a mix of things as we get introduced to a little backstory, new characters, some kinky fun times, and some plot along the way. Next chapter will once again have NSFW content in the beginning but it will be in the middle and end where we pick up on the nitty gritty of things as Natsu gets his meeting with Makarov. What that meeting will entail remains to be unseen. But more importantly; will Natsu be able to hold his cover in front of the boss himself?

Tune in next time to find out!

So, as I stated at the top, things have just been crazy for me as of late and that in turn has left me juggling my stories. I'm still writing it's just that things are crazy! I was going to update Vendetta first but since I'm shooting for a double update with that, it'll more than likely come some time Sunday or Monday. This was one of the quicker things I could work on in between everything going on. After that, I'm moving to Between Light and Shadow…which I'm a quarter of the way through with for the chapter and then I'll be coming back to this and Songs from the Sea. Just be patient with me please as I try to balance things out on my end over the next few weeks.

As per usual, if you guys have any comments or questions, please put it in your review and I'll make sure to respond to you in the next chapter. If you have anything else that you wish to ask me or clarify, you can PM me and I'll do my best to respond ASAP.

Until next time; read, review and most importantly of all, HAPPY READING!


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